Marguerite Becton McLawhorn

Marguerite Becton McLawhorn, 95, of Harlowe, left this life on January 23, 2018 to join family and friends in her next chapter.

Marguerite’s funeral service will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday January 27, 2018 at the Harlowe United Methodist Church. She was a lifelong member and her service will be conducted from the pulpit built by her grandfather Billy Becton. Interment will follow at Harlowe United Methodist Church Cemetery.

She was born February 8, 1922 to Will and Bettie (Ward) Becton of Harlowe. Her lifelong love of Harlowe came from a community where friends were treated as family. The Depression reinforced those bonds throughout life, especially with the Taylor sisters and her cousin Betty Ward.

She graduated from Beaufort High School in 1938. After completing business school in Morehead City, she found work at Cherry Point when it opened. There she met the love of her life, Evren “Mac” McLawhorn. Marguerite was one of 12 women recognized for leadership by the NC Home Demonstration program in 1960. Mac and Marguerite had been married 60 years when he died in 2003. They provided exceptional educations for their children Danny and Bettie as well as their only grandchild Will Thomas. She was proud of Danny’s career as an attorney, Bettie’s as a speech pathologist, and Will as a farmer. After Mac retired in 1972, they began their traveling adventures with many friends made while using their motor homes. After their grandson was born, they made a second home with Carteret County natives at a travel trailer campground in Boone.

When they were in Harlowe, she worked for many years as a florist with her cousin and dear friend Juanita Ward Cannon. In 2012, Marguerite moved to Snug Harbor at Sea Level. While her health had declined, her wit and humor made her a favorite of the staff at Snug Harbor. She found another wonderful friend in her last 7 years in her aide Wanda Carroll of Newport.

Marguerite is survived by her daughter, Bettie and Jeff Thomas of Creston, N.C.; son, Dan McLawhorn of Raleigh; grandson, Will and Anna Thomas of Creston; and her great-grandchildren, Rose and Billy Thomas. Other survivors include her sister-in-law, Belle McLawhorn Cook of Trent Woods; cousin, Betty Ward Motes of Harlowe; nephews, Bill Cook of Raleigh, Jerry Cook of Richmond, Vince Becton of Davis, and Dr. Ron McLawhorn of Chicago; nieces, Deb Tayloe of Trent Woods, Mitzi Cook of West Jefferson, Ann Garner of Harlowe and Sherri Moore of Burkburnett, TX; and close family friends Kathryn Smith and Jimmy Smith of Bachelor, children of her friends Junior and Ruth (Taylor) Smith of Bachelor, and Kay Blanton Davis of Asheville whom she considered family. Hazel Taylor Ives of Atlantic Beach, Edna Taylor Blanton of Asheville, and Mike Mason of Harlowe remained part of her life from their childhood days in Harlowe.

She was predeceased by her brothers Gordon and Vincent “Mug” Becton of Harlowe.

Family will receive friends from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Saturday, January 27, 2018 at Harlowe United Methodist Church.

The family welcomes floral tributes or donations to charities to provide support for birds, the Blue Ridge Parkway at 717 S. Marshall St. Suite 105B Winston-Salem, NC 27101, and Fort Macon State Park at 2303 E Fort Macon Rd, Atlantic Beach, NC 28512 in celebration of her great joy found in nature throughout her life.

The family extends special thanks to the staff at Snug Harbor for their kind and loving care in her last years.

Online condolences may be made at www.mundenfuneralhome.net

Arrangements are by Munden Funeral Home and Crematory, Morehead City, NC.