Ralph Allen of Fearrington Village entered into rest May 11, 2009, at UNC Hospitals.

He was born Dec. 11, 1923, to Ralph and Florence Snook Allen in Macedon, N.Y.

He was educated in The Engineer School of The Army Division, in WWII at Forts Belvoir and Hood, The University of Rochester, and The Rochester Institute of Technology. He was a research scientist at Garlock Packing Company in Palmyra, N.Y., and at Uniroyal Chemical in Nanatuck, Conn. He authored books and articles published here and abroad.

Mr. Allen served his churches in Palmyra, Naugatuck, and Chapel Hill in several capacities. He was a member of The Palmyra, later Drumlin Square Lodge F.A.M 1180 and in Fearrington Golf Club. He volunteered for the United Way.

Mr. Allen is survived by his wife of 64 years, Clara, of the home; sons, Mark (April), of Waterbury Conn., and Paul, of the home; sisters Annabelle Crane of Hudson Fla., and Barbara Wixson of Farmington, N.Y.; brother Phillip G. Allen of Clifton Springs, N.Y.; sister-in-law Shirley B. Singer of North Syracuse, N.Y.; brother-in-law Arthur (Marjorie) Bates, of Clifton Park, N.Y.; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was predeceased by his parents and three brothers.

Interment will be in the Marion cemetery in Marion, N.Y., following calling hours and a masonic service.

A memorial service will be held May 28 at 3 p.m. at the Gathering Place, Fearrington Village.

Contributions may be made to one of the following: University Presbyterian Church in Chapel Hill, The United Way of Pittsboro, Fearrington Cares, or charity of choice.

Arrangements are by Walker's of Chapel Hill and Stevens Funeral Home of Marion, N.Y.

Online condolences may be made at www.walkersfuneralservice.com

John Farrell Boyer

John Farrell Boyer, 95, a resident of Carolina Meadows, died Tuesday at UNC Hospitals.

Born June 5, 1913, in Rock Springs, Wyo., he was the only child of John P. Boyer and Margaret Farrell Boyer.

John attended schools in Rock Springs and Toronto, Canada. In 1935, he started working for Prudential Insurance Company in Newark, N.J., and started taking actuarial exams, eventually attaining the designation of Fellow in the Society of Actuaries. He married Edith Hickman on Aug. 6, 1938, in Tolland, Conn. At the time of her death in February, they had been married over 70 years.

In 1942, John started 3 years of service in World War II, serving in an Air Force cryptography unit stationed in New Guinea.

John and Edith raised their three sons in New Jersey. John had a love of the outdoors, and both John and Edith enjoyed bridge.

After John retired in 1971, they moved to Chapel Hill. John's new interest became vegetable gardening, and he became well known for his tomatoes. He and Edith also took this time to travel, making numerous trips to France. He spent considerable time helping his son David build a stone and log house in Vermont. John was an avid tennis player, playing doubles regularly. He had a close relationship with both of his grandchildren, and greatly encouraged both of them to play.

In 1990, John and Edith moved to Carolina Meadows. John enjoyed many hours on the golf course there, and he developed an interest in the computer, often spending time in the UNC computer labs.

John was predeceased by three months by his wife Edith. Survivors include two sons, David Boyer and his wife Sherry Olson of Plainfield, Vt., and George Boyer and his wife Gloria Ross of Livingston, Mont. Also surviving are two grandchildren, Dashiell Boyer-Olson of New York City and Rose Boyer of Livingston, Mont.

Margaret Umstead Cobb

Margaret "Peggy" Umstead Cobb, 63, of Chapel Hill, passed away at her home on May 11, 2009.

She was born on Nov. 1, 1945 in Platteville, Wis., to the late Margaret "Peggy" Burris Umstead and Frank Graham Umstead. Peggy was the eldest of the Umsteads' three children.

Following graduation from Chapel Hill High School in 1963, Peggy attended Peace College in Raleigh. While there, she met and married James Heys Cobb III, and later moved to Columbus, Ohio, Selma, Ala., and other cities near Air Force bases where Jim was stationed as a pilot. For several years they lived in Griffin, Ga., where Peggy gave birth to their daughter, Susannah.

In 1978, Peggy returned to Chapel Hill with Susannah. An avid tennis player, Peggy managed the Chapel Hill Tennis Club. She opened Travel Associates of Chapel Hill, which she ran until retiring in 1998.

In recent years, she prepared and delivered meals for families at The Ronald McDonald House of Chapel Hill. Peggy was passionate about cooking, politics, and the histories of her family and the state of North Carolina. She was a devoted mother, grandmother and friend.

Peggy is survived by her daughter, Susannah Cobb Parker and husband, Chris, of Atlanta; brother, John Wesley Umstead IV, and wife, Toni, of Raleigh; sister, Helen Reade Umstead, of Chapel Hill; two grandchildren, James Heys Parker; and Elizabeth Umstead Parker, of Atlanta; two nieces, Devon Umstead Brewer and husband, Clate, of Raleigh; and Chloe Graham Umstead, of Raleigh; and nephew, John Wesley Umstead V, of Chapel Hill.

A graveside service was held May 15 at the Old Chapel Hill Cemetery, with The Rev. Carl King of the University United Methodist Church of Chapel Hill officiating. A reception was held at The Carolina Inn.

In lieu of flowers, please make contributions in memory of Margaret "Peggy" Umstead Cobb to The Ronald McDonald House of Chapel Hill, 101 Old Mason Farm Rd., Chapel Hill, NC 27517, (913-2040) or The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America, 386 Park Avenue South, 17th Floor, New York, NY 10016 (800-932-2423).

Funeral arrangements are by Walker's Funeral Home.

Joan Julie Coltrin

Joan Julie Coltrin, 58, of Chapel Hill, died May 11, 2009, at her residence following a brief illness.

Mrs. Coltrin was born in El Paso, Texas. She was employed with Blue Cross and Blue Shield as a computer programmer.

She is survived by her son, Eric James Blanchard; sisters, Terry Cloakey, Cathy Hufault, Dorothy Coltrin, Helen Hess, Rose Root and Betsy Coltrin; brothers, Ralph Coltrin, Chuck Coltrin, Mike Coltrin and Paul Coltrin.

No services are planned at this time.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.walkersfuneralservice.com

Arrangements by Walker's Funeral Home of Chapel Hill.

Richard Allen Soloway

Richard Allen Soloway, Eugen Merzbacher Distinguished Professor of History Emeritus at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, died May 11, 2009, at home, of metastatic melanoma.

Dr. Soloway was a leading scholar of British history and an administrator who taught at UNC for 41 years and served as chair of the department of history, senior associate dean for the social and behavioral sciences, and as interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

Richard Soloway was born March 4, 1934 in Boston, Mass. He majored in journalism at the University of Iowa, working as a stringer for the Associated Press and becoming editor of the Daily Iowan. A skilled pilot, he served as a member of the U.S. Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps.

In 1960 Soloway completed his doctorate in European history at the University of Wisconsin and was called to active duty in the Air Force, where he served as an instructor and pilot at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. In 1962 he joined the University of Michigan faculty and in 1968 was recruited to the UNC-CH history department, where he spent the rest of his life teaching, becoming an internationally recognized scholar and serving the university in numerous positions.

His enthusiasm for British history was contagious, and he displayed a deep commitment to excellence in higher education and personal integrity in public service. He was an avid art collector, an amateur musician, a baseball fan and gardener. He was a competitive sailor and recently returned to flying via highly detailed computer simulators.

Dick spent his final months cared for at home by his wife of 19 years, surrounded by colleagues, friends, and family. He took particular joy in the recent arrival of his grandson Nicholas.

Professor Soloway is survived by his wife, Leslie Banner of Chapel Hill; son Colin Soloway and his wife Emily Hodges of Washington, D.C.; son Dan Frank and his wife Debra of San Carlos, Calif.; grandchildren Nicholas Soloway and Arielle Frank; stepdaughter Stephanie Dawson and husband Kenneth White of Baton Rouge, La.; sisters Elaine Pincus of Boynton Beach, Fla., and Carol Gray of Sarasota, Fla. He was preceded in death by a sister, Sylvia Larson, and parents Alec Soloway and Irene Laurie.

A memorial service will be held in Person Hall on the UNC campus Monday at 2 p.m. Memorial donations may be designated to the Richard A. Soloway Fund in the Program in the Humanities and Human Values at UNC, www.unc.edu/depts/human/index.shtml, or call 962-4388.

Please send death notices to Sheri Farmer at sfarmer@nando.com.