Dorothy S. "Dot" Kenyon, beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, passed away peacefully at her home Wednesday evening, August 3, 2011 with her family by her side.

She was born September 9, 1924 in Granite Quarry, NC to the late Frank and Marguerite Shealy. Dot graduated from Meredith College with a degree in Piano and Public School Music. She taught piano lessons in her home for over 60 years and in 1955 was a charter member of the Raleigh Piano Teacher's Association.

Dot loved people, music, Christmas, dancing, playing Bridge, flowers, crossword puzzles, Jeopardy, the beach, and "her" NCSU Wolfpack. She was fondly known as the "flower lady" at Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, and faithfully served in many capacities during her nearly 70 years of membership; as director of the Cherub Choir, member of the Chancel Choir, Sunday school and Bible school teacher, and as a member of the church council. Her love, kindness, devotion to family and friends and her exuberant, vibrant love of life will be deeply missed. Dot was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 48 years, Thurman.

She is survived by her much loved daughters Anne K. Reed, Nancy D. Kenyon, Jamie K. Davis; her husband Terry; grandchildren Teddy Reed and his wife Lara, Christy Reed, Jonathan Reed and his wife Amy, Kenyon Crowley and his wife Celine, Fulton Crowley, Lindsey Davis and Cameron Davis; her great-grandchildren Julia, Bailey, Evan Reed and Connor Reed, to whom she was affectionately known as "Gi-Gi."

A funeral service celebrating Dot's life will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, August 6, 2011 at Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church. The family will receive friends in the church's Fellowship Hall following the service. A private burial will follow at Montlawn Memorial Park.

Flowers are appreciated or memorial contributions may be made to Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Raleigh Piano Teacher's Association Scholarship Fund, or to Hospice of Wake County.

Thomas Roy Cook died Monday, October 17, 2011. Roy was born in Prosperity, South Carolina on August 31, 1929 to Tallmadge Cook and Marie (Jones) Cook. A resident of the midlands of South Carolina for many years, Roy and his family moved to Garner, North Carolina in 1965, and he lived there until his death. For over 46 years he was an active, faithful member of Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Raleigh, serving as a Congregation Council member and a Stewardship Committee member. For many years he devoted his time and talents as treasurer of his church. During his life he was a Cub Scout leader, president of Pony League Baseball, life member of the Tarheel Supplymen's Association, and served on the Garner Planning Board and the North Carolina Dairy Foundation. He was a Mason and Shriner. He retired from MG Newell Company after 25 years of dedicated service. He had a passion for Clemson Tiger sports. His traits were his smile, the gleam in his eyes, his willingness to lend a helpful hand, and his love for his family.

Roy is survived by his wife of 62 years, Lois Kaminer Cook; his son Larry and Larry's wife Pamela of Myrtle Beach and his son Ed and Ed's wife Ellen of Charlotte; grandchildren Alison of Myrtle Beach, Neal of Charleston, and Will of Charlotte; brother John Carl Cook of Cayce, South Carolina; and many nephews and nieces.

Roy's Funeral Service with communion will be held at 1:00 pm. on Thursday, October 20 at Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church. The family will receive friends after the service in the church's Fellowship Hall. His Burial Service will be held at 1:00 pm. Friday, October 21 at Mt. Hebron United Methodist Church Cemetery, 3050 Leaphart Road, West Columbia, South Carolina.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in memory of T. Roy Cook to Hospice of Wake County, 250 Hospice Circle, Raleigh, NC 27607, or Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2723 Clark Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27607.

Anne Hetrick Kennedy died in Raleigh on June 5, 2011, at the age of 87. She was born in Princeton, West Virginia, on December 29, 1923, and grew up in Walhalla, South Carolina, but Wake County was her home for almost seventy years. It was here that she pursued her calling as a teacher, married and raised a family, and participated fully in the life of the community. When she graduated from Winthrop College in 1943, her classmates chose her the most interesting member of the senior class. Throughout her life, she remained interesting and interested in all aspects of human experience, from the local to the global, and from the personal to the political. Her love of people and generous spirit enriched the lives of those she touched. She began teaching at Wake Forest High School during the Second World War and maintained cherished friendships with many of her students. Anne married Frank Ramsey Kennedy in 1948 and, in the 1950s, shifted her pedagogical energies to her three children, exposing them to the wonders of nature, the richness of history, and the principles of social justice.

After returning to the classroom at LeRoy Martin Junior High School in 1963, she flourished there for over twenty years as a beloved teacher of subjects ranging from North Carolina history to the history and cultures of Africa and Asia. Her students won prizes in National History Day competitions and received awards from the American Society for State and Local History. Anne received recognition as Wake County's Teacher of the Year in 1981. She also served on the North Carolina State Textbook Commission and held offices in several professional organizations, including Delta Kappa Gamma. After her retirement, Anne volunteered as a docent at both the North Carolina Museum of History and the North Carolina Museum of Art and enjoyed book clubs and bridge clubs with friends. She was a faithful member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church for over sixty years.

Surviving are daughter, Katharine Kennedy and her husband Daniel Waggoner, of Atlanta; daughter Annette Kennedy Cowell and her husband Rick Cowell, of Stillwater, OK; daughter-in-law Cynthia May Kennedy of Raleigh; granddaughters Anne Vaynne Cowell of San Antonio; Kathryn Kennedy of Raleigh; and Laura Kennedy of Miami; and step-grandson Kyle Hanlin of Raleigh.

She was preceded in death by her husband, by her son John Montgomery Kennedy, and by her granddaughter Rebecca Katherine Cowell.

A memorial service to celebrate Anne's life will take place at 2:00 on Friday, June 10, at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 2723 Clark Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27607. The family will greet friends at a reception following the service, in the church Fellowship Hall.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church or the North Carolina Museum of History Foundation, attention Heyward H. McKinney, North Carolina Museum of History, 5 East Edenton Street, Raleigh, NC 27601.

It is with deep sadness that the family of Frederick O. Smetana, Ph.D., announces his passing on May 27, 2011 at his home in Raleigh, North Carolina. He was 82 years old. Dr. Smetana is the oldest child of the late Emilie and Otto Frederick Smetana. He was born on November 29, 1928 in Philadelphia, PA. He was married to Adelaide Sigmon from December 27, 1952 until her demise on July 3, 2005. He later married Zenaida Rivera on December 16, 2006.

Dr. Smetana graduated from North Carolina State College in 1950 with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering (Aero Option). He worked for Douglas Aircraft Company in Santa Monica, California in 1951. He returned to NC State and earned a Master's Degree in June 1953. From July, 1953 to July, 1955, he served as a flight-test engineer in the United States Air Force at Edwards Air Force Base. From 1955 to 1961, he was a research scientist at the University of Southern California, where he earned his Ph.D. in Engineering.

In 1961, Dr. Smetana joined the faculty of the NCSU Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department where he remained until his retirement in 1994. During his tenure, he wrote several textbooks and numerous technical articles in addition to his normal teaching duties. Following his retirement, he was Professor Emeritus and continued to write several additional text books, one of which has recently been translated in Chinese for use in universities in the Republic of China. Within the last year, Dr. Smetana has also taught opera at the NCSU's Encore program.

He was a member of Phi Kappa Phi, Pi Tau Sigma, Tau Beta Phi, Sigma Xi, The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Crabtree Rotary Club, and the Wolfpack Club and was featured in Who's Who In The World, as well as Who's Who In America. He was passionate about his roses, classical music (particularly opera), history, traveling, and his beloved Wolfpack. To those that know him very well, Dr. Smetana will always be remembered for his astute intellect, his ability to match wits at Jeopardy, his interest in U.S. presidential trivia, his wit and sense of humor.

In addition to his wife, Dr. Smetana is survived by his children: Daniel (Phyllis) Smetana, Martha (David) Hunt, Andrew Smetana, Paul (Fran) Smetana; grandchildren Alexander and Jonathan Smetana, Rhodes and Spencer Hunt; Zenaida's children Jerry (Ana) Tiu, James Tiu, Jackie (Greg) Reed and their children; and his sister Elaine (Edwin) Dorton.

Visitation will be held Wednesday, June 1 from noon to 2:00 pm. at Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Raleigh, with a memorial service following at 2:00 pm. A service celebrating Dr. Smetana's life will be held at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church on Saturday, June 11 at 1:00 pm. Memorial donations may be made to WCPE (The Classical Station; 89.7 FM), Box 897, Wake Forest, NC 27588.

Condolences to the family at the Mitchell Funeral Home at Raleigh Memorial Park.

The Rev. Stephen Paul Gerhard, 65, a Lutheran pastor, died Friday in Winston-Salem, his home for the past 16 years. He was born November 13, 1945 in Woodberry, NJ, but lived most of his young life in Penn Hills, PA, where his father, Paul, was founding pastor of Zion Lutheran Church. He graduated from Thiel College in Greenville, PA, where he met his wife of 42 years, Barbara Jeanne Foreman Gerhard.

Pastor Gerhard received his Master of Divinity from Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia and a Master of Theology from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. He served his internship (during which time he became the church's full-time pastor) at Lord God of Sabaoth Lutheran Church in Christiansted, St. Croix, USVI. After being ordained in the Western Pennsylvania/West Virginia Synod in 1971, he served at Messiah Lutheran Church in Moundsville, WV, then moved to Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Raleigh, where he was designated a pastor emeritus on May 31, 2009. Pastor Gerhard retired from Lutheran Church of the Epiphany in Winston-Salem in June 2008, then became capital campaign director of the Lutheran Services for the Aging for the North Carolina Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America until March of this year.

Dedicated to his calling to serve, Pastor Gerhard also held various other church-related positions, including those on the Lenoir-Rhyne College (now University) board of trustees, the North Carolina Synod Council, the board of directors of Urban Ministries of Wake County (where he was the first chairman), the NC State University Cooperative Campus Ministry (chairman), the board of Lutheran Family Services in the Carolinas (chair), and various North Carolina Synod committees. In addition, he was campus pastor to Lutheran students at North Carolina State University and Wake Forest University. Among his many other volunteer activities, he developed the Meals on Wheels program in Moundsville, WV, and worked with the Red Cross and Samaritan Ministries. His life was one of service offering wisdom, compassion, and grace to all he met.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by a son, Christopher Paul Gerhard (and wife Nicole Rae Krupa Gerhard) of Winchester, VA; a daughter, Meredith Courtney Gerhard West (and husband Dr. Joey West) of Gainesville, GA; two grandchildren, Anna Courtney West and Miller Brooks Gerhard; and a sister, Karen Gerhard Ernst (and husband Rev. Matthew Ernst) of Ocean Isle Beach. He was preceded in death by his parents, the Rev. Dr. H. Paul Gerhard and Helen Münch Gerhard.

A memorial service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 28, 2011 at Augsburg Lutheran Church in Winston-Salem, with Rev. Dr. Leonard Bolick, Rev. Dr. Ronald Rinn, Rev. Ray Mohrman, Rev. Laura Wind, and Rev. Gordon Simmons officiating. The family will receive friends at the church following the service. A committal service will be conducted at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 29, 2011 at Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Raleigh, with Rev. Dr. Royall Yount, Jr. officiating. The family requests that memorials be made to a charity of the donor's choice.

Frans Lowell Victorson, 63, passed away on May 20, 2011. He was born to The Reverend Frans A. and Elsie Victorson on April 26, 1948, in Des Moines, Iowa.

Frans' boyhood in Saint Joseph, Michigan was filled with swimming and sailing, camping and canoeing, cross-country track, his Honda motorbike and forest-green MGB, and friendships that would last a lifetime. Frans was active in the life of Saron Lutheran Church and in scouting. Frans attained the rank of Eagle Scout, trekked the rugged and rocky mountain trails of Philmont Scout Ranch's high adventure base near Cimarron, New Mexico, and attended the 50th Anniversary National Jamboree at Colorado Springs. In 1963 he represented American scouts, participating in ceremonies at which monarchs of the Scandavian countries were presented with the Gold Lamb Award for their leadership of the scouting movements in their countries.

Through college years Frans worked in the construction and plumbing trades. After graduating from Eastern Michigan University he moved to Maine, where he taught middle-school science and embraced the chance to live near the sea and sail at every opportunity.

When Frans moved to North Carolina, he began what would become a 22-year career at GlaxoSmithKline. He began as a Research Investigator and retired in 2008 as manager of the Pilot Plant, responsible for the plant's operations and materials management. He earned the respect of his colleagues for the thorough approach he brought to every task and for his profound commitment to excellence. He continued his active lifestyle; running, biking, windsurfing, kayaking and sailing. He moored Saga, his wooden-hulled 42-foot Dickerson ketch, at Washington, North Carolina. He taught many novice sailors the joys — and the challenges — of capturing the wind on the open sea.

Throughout his life, Frans enjoyed sharing not only his love of sailing, but also his Nordic heritage, his 'fix-it' guy expertise, and his giving nature, with all he met. He gave vacation time to filling sandbags on the Mississippi River, participated in many Habitat for Humanity projects, served on the board of Faith Lutheran School (Raleigh), and was honored to be a member of the board of directors of the Kristin Linnea Skvarla Foundation, which carries forward the spirit and endeavors of his niece, who shared his compassion for others as well as his example of reaching out a helping hand.

Frans had special enthusiasm for time shared with family and friends. His family, sister Madelynn (David) Skvarla, nieces Sonja and Kristin (deceased) Skvarla, and grandnephew Anders, as well as extended family and friends young and old, will smile to remember him as, characterized by a young friend, "an obscenely generous, loving, open and caring soul … and a bit of an engineering dork to boot!"

A memorial service for Frans will be celebrated at Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church at 2:00 pm. on Tuesday, May 24. Frans' family will visit with friends at a reception following the service in the church Fellowship Hall. The family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation, the Kristin Linnea Skvarla Foundation, or to a charity of the donor's choice. Condolences may be posted here, or mailed to 3063 Crestwood Lane, Glenville, Illinois, 60025.

Lena Ellen Punch Reinhardt, age 93, died at Sunrise Assisted Living, North Hills on April 3, 2011.

She was born on December 1, 1917 in Newton, North Carolina, a daughter of the late John Andrew Punch and Beulah Eudora (Miller) Punch.

She was a graduate of Startown High School in Catawba County and lettered both in basketball and softball. She was the historian of her graduating class and the lead actress in its senior-class play.

She was baptized in the Methodist Church but was confirmed in St. Timothy Lutheran Church in Hickory, NC. She transferred her membership from St. Timothy to Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in 1963 after she and her husband moved to Raleigh.

She was married to Howard E. Reinhardt of Hickory, NC on August 4, 1938.

She worked briefly in a glove mill and a retail store but spent most of her time caring for her children and doing volunteer work.

As a youth, she served as president of her church's Luther League, and as an adult, taught Sunday school and Bible school at St. Timothy Lutheran Church, was advisor to the Luther League, and served as president of the Allen Frye Home Demonstration Club.

At Holy Trinity she served as advisor to the Luther League, was a member of the Church Hostess Committee, was elected president of her Sunday school class, helped cook meals for the Older Adult monthly church luncheons, and was a member of the Older Adult Planning Committee and the Ladies Quilting Guild. She volunteered to deliver Meals-On-Wheels, and was honored by the City of Raleigh for significant service in the Retired Senior Volunteer Program at Wake Hospital.

She enjoyed traveling and visited many interesting places during trips that she and her husband made to Mexico, Costa Rica, Columbia in South America, Canada, and most of the 50 states, including Hawaii and Alaska.

Mrs. Reinhardt was preceded in death by her husband in 2008.

She is survived by her four daughters and sons-in-law, Elaine Ellen Kendall of Fayetteville, NC, Eloise Rosalind and the Rev. Tommy Beaver of China Grove, NC, Nellena Mabel and the Rev. Dr. Timothy J. Kennedy of Yorktown Heights, NY, and Loretta Jeanne and Michael R. Williams of Pontoon Beach, Illinois; and one son and daughter-in-law, Reginald Elmer and Brenda Sigmon Reinhardt of Kingsport, TN.

Also surviving are nine grandchildren; Gregory and wife Amy Beaver, Jennifer Beaver Bost, Julie Reinhardt and husband Casey Chapin, William Reinhardt and wife Diana, Christopher Kennedy and wife Tracie, Michael Kennedy and wife Joan, Sara Kennedy, Alex and wife Nicole Williams, and Caitlyn Williams, and ten great grandchildren; Matthew and Andrew Beaver, Thomas and Elise Bost ,Micah and Isaac Chapin, Michael Reinhardt, Katie, Jayden and Timothy Patrick Kennedy.

She is survived by one sister, Mrs. Alice Wilson of Conover.

The family will receive friends at Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church on Saturday, April 9, 2011 from 12:45 pm. to 1:45 pm. prior to the service. Funeral services will be held in Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, at the corner of Clark and Brooks Avenues, Raleigh, NC at 2:00 pm. on Saturday, April 9, 2011, with Rev. Dr. Royal A. Yount, Jr., Rev. Lawrence F. Holmes, Rev. Tommy K. Beaver, and Rev. Dr. Timothy J. Kennedy, officiating.

Burial will be in the Raleigh Memorial Park, 7501 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2723 Clark Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27607-7199 or to ELCA Disaster Response Pacific Eathquake and Tsunami, 39330 Treasury Center, Chicago, ILL. 61694. Condolences may be made to www.brownwynne.com.