Edna “Faye” Wright, 85, formerly of Oak Island, died on March 16.

Born on January 21, 1932 to the late Mae P. Thompson, Fay grew up in Durham County. Though she was a country girl by birth, she loved “going to town” as a child and gazing at the beautiful fashions she saw in the department store windows. That love stayed with her throughout adulthood and she became known for her sassy style.

At work, Faye was practical. By trade she worked as a machinist assembling aircraft flux valves at Wright Machinery Company –the company which later became Sperry Rand and eventually Honeywell. During her career, she was credited with developing a Lazy Susan-style device that helped increase productivity on the assembly line.

Faye retired from Honeywell in the 1980s and began doing the things she truly loved – spending time with her daughter and granddaughters, baking chocolate confections, reading and visiting with friends.

Some of the highlights of Faye’s life were the beach trips she took with her family and close friends. In 2000, she traded the convenience of city life for sand between her toes as she relocated to Oak Island. She spent her days combing the water’s edge for shells and checking out the latest new releases from the Barbee Library.

Faye had a soft spot for animals – especially dogs – and had several special canine friends throughout her life. She also loved to garden and – much to her family’s dismay sometimes – she wouldn’t hesitate to dig up strange species of flora and bring them home to transplant in the yard. She had a green thumb, and the plants always grew.

In addition to her mother, Faye was preceded in death by her husband, Elbert Watkins; and two very special friends, Billie Hart and Ethel Cash.

Left to cherish her memory are her daughter and son-in-law, Sheila and Randy Sloan of Bolivia; her granddaughter, Renee Spencer and husband Marc of Southport; her granddaughter Ashley Sloan and fiancé John Moore of Bolivia; her great-grandson Levi Spencer; many nieces and nephews; and four special friends, Robbie Bannon of Chardon, Ohio, Vickie Smith of Vilas, NC, Dot Gardner of Charlotte, NC, and Shirley Mason of Oak Island.

A celebration of Life service will be held at 2:00pm on Monday, March 20 at the Brunswick Funeral Service Southport/Oak Island Chapel, with the Reverend Dr. Walter Taylor officiating. Family will receive friends one hour prior to the service. Interment will be Sorrell's Grove Cemetery in Morrisville, NC.

The family would also like to express gratitude to the staff at Universal Healthcare and to Dr. Summerlin and the staff at the SECU Hospice House of Brunswick.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in her name to the Lower Cape Fear Hospice “Brunswick House” at 955 Mercy Lane, Bolivia, NC 28422.