Jean Leggett Shuping, 71, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Saturday, February 2, 2019. She was born in Elizabeth City, NC, the younger daughter of Clifton Lanier Leggett and Virgilia Banks Leggett.
One of her favorite joys was searching for "treasures." Over decades of antiquing, she acquired many collections, but her most prolific one was her Japanese Imari collection beautifully displayed throughout her home. Her eclectic sense of style explains why her homes in Raleigh and Nags Head were so welcoming to everyone. Her husband laughingly referred to Jean as "the devil's decorator," but secretly he loved her collections as much as she.
Throughout her life, she had an affinity and immense talent for oil painting, cooking, gardening, decorating, and floral arranging. She had a brilliant mind and enjoyed playing weekly Bridge with her friends and working her morning Sudoku, Crossword Puzzle, Word Jumble and Cryptoquote. She took great pleasure in entertaining in her home and loved nothing more than passing food on to friends and family, especially a warm container of soup or homemade pumpkin bread at Christmas.
She was a member of Christ Church in Raleigh, member and past President of the Friends of the Wake County Bar Association, former Board member and Benefactor of the North Carolina State University School of Veterinary Medicine, member of The Junior League of Raleigh, The Raleigh City Museum,The Elizabethan Gardens, The Roanoke Island Historical Association (The Lost Colony), Carolina Country Club, and the 2500 Club.
She was married at Christ Church in Elizabeth City, NC to Lawrence Bruner Shuping, Jr., on August 21, 1976. At the time of her death, they had been married 42 years.
She is survived by her husband, Lawrence; daughter, Jean Hughes Weeks Derbyshire Dada and husband, Aleem, of Raleigh, daughter Elizabeth Leggett Weeks Evans of Nags Head; son, Alexander Lanier Shuping of Raleigh; five grandchildren, Hayes Collier Derbyshire, Lanier Leggett Derbyshire, Anna Belle Hughes Derbyshire, all of Raleigh, Isabella Leggett Strickland of Austin, TX, and Graham Banks Evans of Nags Head.
Also surviving are her sister, Virgilia Leggett Church and husband, Thomas Clayton Church, Jr., of Henderson, NC; niece, Virgilia Church Nichols and husband, Stephen, of Manteo, NC; nephew, John Thomas Church and wife, Nancy Paynter; and great nieces, Lucy Downing Church and Anna Leggett Payne Church, all of Raleigh, NC.
A visitation will be held on Wednesday, February 6th from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 300 Saint Mary's Street, Raleigh.
A funeral service will be held on Thursday, February 7th at 2:00 pm at Christ Church, 120 East Edenton St., Raleigh, NC. Burial following the funeral at Historic Oakwood Cemetery. A Wake celebrating Jean's life will be held at her home at a date to be determined.
Flowers are accepted, but donations may be made to the charity of one's choice.
