Christina Lee, 60, of Chapel Hill, died Thursday, Feb. 5, with her husband, Joseph; children, Alex, Betsy and Cathy; and sister, Anita Chung, by her side.

For more than five years, Christina fought bravely against Multiple Myeloma. Throughout her battle, she never lost her optimism and curiosity for life, or her deep faith in God.

She was born June 2, 1948, in Shanghai, China. In 1949, she immigrated with her family to Hong Kong.

She attended St. Stephens Girls College in Hong Kong. At the age of 17 Christina moved to the U.S. on her own to attend her final year of high school at Maria Assumpta Academy in Petersham, Mass. After graduating from Ohio University in 1971, she returned to Hong Kong to pursue her career in graphic arts.

Christina and Joseph were introduced through photographs by her father and his oldest brother. They corresponded while Joe completed medical school at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo., and fell in love. After corresponding for a year Christina and Joseph met in person in 1972. In June of 1973 Joe and Christina were married in Hong Kong and made St. Louis their home, where Joe began his residency in radiology.

In 1975, Christina and Joe welcomed their first child, Alex, and three years later they had twin daughters, Betsy and Cathy. As a devoted wife and homemaker, Christina gave everything to her family. Christina loved traveling, watching the stars, gardening, enjoying nature and striking up conversations with anyone and everyone.

She served as the first woman deacon at Raleigh Chinese Christian Church and spent many years as a Sunday School teacher and Bible study leader after moving to Chapel Hill in 1991.

In addition to her husband, children and sister, Christina is survived by her parents, Howard and Ju-E Tsai; brothers, Darwin and Damon; nieces, Emily Chung and Doreen Chung; and nephews, Peter Chung, Andy Chung and Samuel Tsai.

A memorial service will be held today at 3 p.m. at University Baptist Church in Chapel Hill, with the burial service immediately after at Chapel Hill Memorial Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (www.multiplemyeloma.org), Raleigh Chinese Christian Church Building Fund (www.raleighccc.org) or The Nature Conservancy (www.nature.org.)

Mary Louise Haynes

Mary Louise Haynes, loving mother, grandmother, wife and friend died peacefully at home on Feb. 4 at the age of 99.

She was born in New Marshfield, Ohio, on June 30, 1909. She spent her childhood in Athens, Ohio, married and raised her children in Huntington, W.V., where she became an antiques dealer. While living in Huntington, she was a member of Fifth Avenue Baptist Church where she was a caregiver in the Sunday school nursery. She spent much of her later years in Belpre, Ohio, before her recent move to Chapel Hill. She was an avid reader, a delightful poet and took special joy in her charming historic antebellum home.

She was the wife of the late Paul Douglas Hayman, M.D., and the late Pryce M. Haynes, both of Huntington, W.V. She was pre-deceased by her son, Paul Douglas Hayman Jr. of Orange Park, Fla., and her daughter, Lois Ann Johnson of Belpre, Ohio. She is survived by her daughter, Pat Lowry of Chapel Hill, 11 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, and 10 great-great-grandchildren. She will be put to rest with her family in Huntington, W.V.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Wake County, Inc., 1300 St. Marys St., Raleigh, NC, 27605 or to the charity of your choice.

Julia Ann Sigmon Harris

Julia Ann Sigmon Harris, 76, of Greensboro, died Sunday, Feb. 1, 2009, at Beacon Place Hospice Home.

A graveside service was held Feb. 4 at Catawba Memorial Park Mausoleum in Hickory with the Rev. Mark Norman Vickers officiating.

Born in Catawba County to Winston and Hazel Sigmon, Julia spent a large part of her life in Greensboro. She was a member of Lawndale Baptist Church and was an accomplished pianist. Her greatest love was her family. She was a loving mother, daughter, sister, grandmother and great-grandmother. She was also a devoted wife and care-giver for many years to her husband, Harvey W. Harris.

She is survived by her mother, Hazel Frye Sigmon of Southern Pines; her daughter, Donna Harris Hamilton and husband Mike of Chapel Hill; her son, Daniel Harris and wife Vada of Greensboro; four grandchildren, Vada Bostian, Kathleen Harris, Christine Hamilton, and Adam Hamilton; one great-grandchild, Danielle Bostian; two sisters, Frances Suggs of Murfreesboro, Tenn.; and Janice Batchelor of Southern Pines, N.C.

Forbis and Dick Guilford Chapel is assisting the Harris family and online condolences may be offered at www.forbisanddick.com.

Ruth Alfva Richard

Ruth Alfva Richard of Carrboro died at UNC Hospitals on Feb. 2, 2009, with her two daughters by her side.

"Richie" was born in Newport, R.I., to Oscar and Alberta Peterson Eklund, natives of Sweden. After her father's death Richie grew up in Miami, Fla., adopted by her mother's second husband, Blaine Richard.

Her first marriage to the late Joseph McCarthy left her a young widow. During the war years she married a Marine aviator, Harry W. Taylor of Columbia, S.C., and they had two daughters. Divorced in the 1950s, she returned to her nursing career in Long Island and New Jersey. In the 1970s, she moved to Carrboro and embarked on a second career selling antiques at the Raleigh Fairgrounds.

Richie is survived by daughters Sherry T. Jones and her husband Rodney, and Patricia T. Thompson and her husband Charles; granddaughters Gudrun E. Thompson and her husband Jeff Sumpter (all of Chapel Hill;) Katherine T. Jones of Charlotte; grandson Fletcher Thompson and his wife Gretchen of Boston, Mass.; great-granddaughters Julia E. Sumpter and Azalea L. Thompson, and former husband Col. Harry W. Taylor USMC (RET) of Sun City Center Fla., who joins the family in mourning her.

The family thanks the staffs of Brookshire Nursing Center in Hillborough and Stratford House in Carrboro. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Friends of the Health Sciences Library, UNC-Chapel Hill 27599-7585 or the UNC Educational Foundation, designated for the Women's Basketball Endowment, PO Box 2446, Chapel Hill NC 27515. Arrangements are by Cremation Society of the Carolinas.

A celebration of Richie's life will be held Sunday, March 1, at 2 p.m. at the home of Sherry and Rodney Jones.

Rosemary Ann Matthews

Rosemary Ann Matthews (Rafferty) died tragically the night of Jan. 27 when accidentally struck by a motorist on a foggy country road in Chatham County.

Born to Roy and Ann Rafferty on March 21, 1952, Merry attended schools in Muskegon, Mich. Her goal in life was always to help others. She started the first vegetarian restaurant in Ludington, Mich., and formed Oxbow Lake Sprouting Co., before people knew what sprouts were. She traveled extensively around the United States learning about all people, home births and nutrition. She taught us of God and nature, and was kind to everyone and loved animals. She sat with the dying and home birthed new arrivals. Her interests included nursing, homeopathic medicine, iridology, and massage therapy. She was an avid reader and was involved in several start up businesses.

Merry is survived and always loved by her sons, Noah Matthews of Chapel Hill, Micah Matthews and Ms. Laurie Stockton of Chapel Hill, and Noah Jack Matthews, their son and Merry's grandson. Her loving mother, Ann of N. Muskegon, Mich., and a long list of brothers and sisters including Rich Rafferty of Norton Shores, Mich., Tom Talquist of N. Muskegon, Mich., Sandy Anderson and Christy Schmidt, also of Mich.

Merry will be missed by many friends in Ludington, Mich., as well as Chapel Hill. Her ashes will be given back to the earth as a blessing to her God.

Memorial donations may be sent to the Noah Jack Matthews College Fund, c/o Raymond Matthews, 205 Severin St., Chapel Hill, NC 27516.

Susan Strong

Susan Strong, 62, of Chapel Hill, left us on Feb. 3, 2009.

Susan was a family nurse practitioner, having earned her master's degree at Ohio State University and her FNP at East Carolina University. During her nursing career, Susan worked with Project Hope in Egypt, on the Navajo Indian Reservation in Arizona, and in Columbia, S.C.

She is survived by sisters Jill Baisden and Jacqueline Strong of Bethune, S.C.; a sister, Jean Strong of Asheville, N.C.; a brother, Steven Strong of Cassatt, S.C.; and several nieces and nephews. Susan was preceded in death by her parents, Dale and Fern Strong of Camden, S.C., a sister, Kathy Strong of Columbus, Ohio, and a brother, John Strong of Camden, S.C.

A memorial service was held to celebrate Susan's life on Feb. 5.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Heifer International, www.heifer.org.