William Carr

The sun rose for William Carr, also known as “Willie Carr” or Bill Carr on July 21, 1940, on a beautiful day in Raleigh, North Carolina. He was the third sibling of six, born to Mr. Theodore Roosevelt and Mrs. Frances Olivia Carr. His siblings included: Theodore Carr, Frances May Carr, Jaqueline Virginia Carr-Nkuebe, Stella Patricia Jones, and Frankie Carr. Willie married his wife, Cleopatra Carr, in 1963 and reared five children, three biological children (Dr. William Henry Carr whom is now married to Dr. David Gordon Muir, Valerie Olivia Carr and Dr. Christine Viola Carr) and his niece Jackie Nkuebe Zimoch whom is now married to Pavel Zimoch and his nephew Thabo Nkuebe. Willie and Cleopatra Carr do not have any biological grandchildren, but are blessed with three non-biological grandchildren: Bryan Parrish, Kyler Parrish, and Connor Parrish. Family meant a lot to Willie and he was more than happy to help any family members he could; supporting his family and siblings and even their children when needed. He definitely gave meaning to the African proverb “It takes a village”.

Beyond the village, Willie served his country proudly for four years in the air force and then went to work for IBM in 1968, a company he loved dearly. His devotion to engineering and IBM awarded him opportunities to travel and explore places that greatly impacted his life. Outside of his work and family life Willie loved his community. He and his wife were members of Jack and Jill of America, and The No Name Group, which are both prominent social organizations, in the community. In addition Willie and Cleo were active members of the Group 19 church group.

As part of his inner calling to give back to the community he took his great academic gifts/talents and used it to uplift youth in Wake County by serving as a math tutor at Martin Street Baptist Church as well as a tutor for the Capital City Sertoma Club. gracious to volunteer and assist many neighborhood children who needed help.

As a 1969 graduate of North Carolina State University he was a big supporter of all of their programs and endeavors, engineering and agriculture in particular. It is important to note that Willie entered North Carolina State University during the height of the civil rights movement being one of the first African American students admitted to this university; he was a true civil rights pioneer in higher education in North Carolina.

As a Raleigh native and 1958 graduate of JW Ligon High School (he was Salutatorian of his class). Willie has always been dedicated to improving conditions in Raleigh for those who are less fortunate. For youth of the Oakes Apartments that were located down the street from his home, he was a true blessing as each year he helped them attend the annual North Carolina State Fair in October as well as assisted them in purchasing needed school supplies. Attending the North Carolina State Fair was one of the highlights of his year. In fact he loved sharing this joy with others. To support and encourage the youth in the community, he would load up bingo supplies and school supply money to take to the Oakes Apartments each Fall. He would light up their lives when they called out B6 and the key word “BINGO” receiving a prize of money or school supplies. Willie not only provided a fun and memorable day at the State Fair for these kids, but also supported their academic preparation.

As we remember William “Willie” Carr let us remember those wise important words “It is better to give than receive” and continue to uplift our community and share the importance of a healthy mind, especially with our youth who face so many stresses and challenges in the 21st century.

As he now reaches sunset in his life never forget the beautiful jewel of the sun that he wore around his neck, and know that the sun will always rise for William “Willie” Carr.

Family will receive friends on Thursday, January 23, 2020 from 11:30 am until 12:00 pm at Martin Street Baptist Church (1001 E. Martin Street in Raleigh). A Memorial Service will held at 12:00 pm, officiated by Dr. Shawn J. Singleton, Pastor.

Arrangements with Mitchell Funeral Home at Raleigh Memorial Park.