Mary Susan Chappell Buchanan

Mary Chappell Buchanan passed away on February 22, 2022. She was 88 years old and now rests in her eternal home. Born November 6, 1933, in Raleigh NC at the old Rex Hospital on South Street to Jesse and Christine Ward Chappell. As a child growing up, she attended Hayes Barton Elementary School (now Myrtle Underwood Elementary School) and Needham B. Broughton High School, Class of 1952. Long lasting friendships were developed there. As a child she enjoyed playing with her siblings and especially roller skating around the neighborhood and swimming with friends at Hayes Barton pool. She and her siblings also enjoyed summer trips to Maysville, NC to visit their maternal grandmother. Even though Maysville did not have the “modern” convenience of indoor plumbing etc., those visits were some of her fondest memories.

Mary’s first full time job was at Durham Life Insurance Company in downtown Raleigh, where she quickly became known as a hard and dedicated worker and was promoted to higher levels of responsibility. Through the years Mary had other jobs in various locations including Arlington, VA and Boone, NC where she worked as an Administrative Officer to the Vice Chancellor of Business Affairs at Appalachian State University. The majority of her career was spent at the N. C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in the Marketing Division where she rose from an entry level position to a Technology Support Analyst and Budget Administrator, leading the Automation Services and Budget Administration section. She found great satisfaction in her work and would say that Mondays were her favorite day because “you had five whole days ahead of you in which you could accomplish a lot.” Indeed, she did accomplish a lot, including numerous awards, among them she was twice nominated by the Department of Agriculture for the Governor’s Award for Excellence. In addition to enjoying her work she made a lot of friends at work who honored her 35 years of service to NCDA with a retirement luncheon on July 29, 2010, at the Martin Building on the NC Fairgrounds.

In September 1959 she married Robert William Buchanan. The couple had a daughter in 1960 and a son in 1970. Family was very important to Mary. She maintained a close relationship with her parents and siblings throughout life and loved her children and grandchildren. When not working she enjoyed traveling and spending time with various family members on trips to many places from beach trips to trips to California and Europe.

Mary was raised Methodist at Hayes Barton United Methodist Church and later became a Presbyterian after getting married. She took her vows to raise her children in the church very seriously and saw to it that both her children attended church every Sunday with only a few exceptions. Both her children were involved in the children and youth activities at White Memorial Presbyterian Church where she remained a member until her death.

Mary is survived by her sister, Trudy C. Conrad, brother, Robert Chappell and wife Pat, sisters-in-law, Sandy Chappell, and Cackie Rollins, her daughter, Chris Buchanan, son, Bill Buchanan and wife Milly Morrow, two grandchildren: Elli Buchanan and Taylor Buchanan and step granddaughter Sadie Smith-Morrow, five nieces and nephews: Sherry C. Frye and husband Jack, Audrey C. Fletcher and husband Tim, Kathie Rollins, Jess Chappell and wife Katie, Karen C. Smith and husband Steven, and 6 great nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents Jesse and Christine Ward Chappell, her husband, Robert W. Buchanan, her brother Jesse Chappell Jr., her brother-in-law Ray Rollins and her nephew Robin Conrad.

The family would like to thank the doctors and staff of Springmoor’s Stewart Health Center.

A visitation will be held in the Terrace Room at Springmoor South Village (1000 Springmoor Circle) on March 5, 2022, from 11:00 a.m. to noon. A graveside service will be held March 5th at 3:00 p.m. at Raleigh Memorial Park, 7501 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh, NC 27612.

Memorial gifts may be made to a charity of your choice.

Services provided by Brown-Wynne, 300 St. Mary's Street, Raleigh.