Wanda Ann Diefes

Wanda was born in Whiteville, North Carolina to Billy Mac Watson and Martha Harwood Watson on February 19th, 1953. She graduated as valedictorian from Whiteville High School and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Masters of Education degree from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, where she was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Wanda married her husband, Dr. Darryl J. Diefes in May of 1975 in Chapel Hill. She taught high school English at Waccamaw Academy as well as a women’s weekly Bible study for 17 years. Wanda was a member of the Whiteville United Methodist Church where she was a choir member and also led the youth ministry program. Wanda shared a deep passion for music with her husband Darryl and she spent many years making music as a vocalist with her husband and many friends, including a 10-year run with Richard and Karen Gore in the group Half and Half. Wanda helped start and served as Board Chair for the local domestic violence program Families First in Columbus County and was the only female Committee Member of the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission’s Alligator Task Force. Wanda’s passions included teaching, being an avid reader, and learning. She was an excellent water skier, an average snow skier, and she loved both. Like the rest of her family, she found peace and gratitude spending time at Lake Waccamaw; bird watching, reading a book, and throwing bumpers for Labrador retrievers.

Wanda is preceded in death by her father, Billy Mac Watson.

Wanda is survived by her husband, Darryl; her two sons, Hunter and Nathan; her mother, Martha Watson; and her three brothers, Keith, Alan, and Neil Watson, as well as her nephews Heath and Derek Watson, and her niece, Marianne Burch.

Funeral services will be held on October 29th, 2023 at 2:00 PM in the Whiteville United Methodist Church Sanctuary with Reverend Howard James and Reverend Hope Vickers officiating. A reception will be held in the fellowship hall following the service.

Honorary Pallbearers will be Dale McPherson, Ronald McNeill, Kent Hill, William Robbins, Joe Hooks, and Carlton Williamson.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) which is the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes research. You can help contribute to the Diefes Family Team for the Wilmington JDRF walk online at https://tinyurl.com/358zbanx or by mail to JDRF North Carolina, PO Box 1550, Hagerstown, MD 21741-1550.

Online condolences may be made at www.peacocknewmanwhite.com.

Peacock – Newnam & White Funeral and Cremation Service, Southport, North Carolina.