Brown Wynne Funeral Home

C., died Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017.John was born July 29, 1937, in Northfield, Minn., to Charles and Eleanor Stroebel and was the second oldest of five children. A 1955 graduate of Rochester High School, John attended Carleton College and the University of Minnesota, where he earned a degree in engineering in 1959.John spent his entire career working for IBM where he achieved the rank of senior engineer. He worked at the Rochester facility from 1960 to 1984, earning a Master's degree in mathematics along the way. In 1984, John transferred to the Raleigh Research Triangle Park facility, where he remained until his retirement in 1994.John had numerous interests in life that he pursued with great passion. An outgoing, social individual, he enjoyed sharing a good game of tennis or golf with family and friends. He loved being close to the water, whether it was boating along the Mississippi River or on a beach in North Carolina. He had a lifelong interest in aeronautics, including building and flying radio-controlled planes. Raised in a musical and artistic family, John retained a love for many forms of music, sculpture and gardening throughout his life.John is survived by his wife of 20 years, Linda Stroebel of Raleigh; his three sons, Dr. Robert Stroebel (Cathy) of Rochester, Kirk Stroebel of Rochester, and Jay Stroebel (Jacqui) of Maplewood, Minn.; three stepsons, William Thorne (Laura) of Richmond, Va., Michael Thorne (Leslie) of Raleigh, James Thorne of Swannanoa, N.C.; a brother, James Stroebel (Sue) of Minneapolis; a sister, Sara Brandenburg (Steve) of Jackson Hole, Wyo.; and nine grandchildren, Ben Stroebel, Hannah Stroebel, Andy Stroebel, Leah Stroebel, Ashley Stroebel, Sam Thorne, Jessica Thorne, Jack Thorne and Elizabeth Thorne.John was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Charles Stroebel; and a sister, Florence Kahn. ?A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 2, at Edenton Street United Methodist Church, 228 W. Edenton St., Raleigh. The family will receive friends fol... (Post-Bulletin)

RALEIGH Rebekah "Becky" Frances Whiteley Payne, 91, of Raleigh, died on August 25, 2017. She was born on March 7, 1926 in Greensboro, NC, the daughter of the late Harry and Frances Whiteley. Rebekah attended Mitchell College, which is where she met her husband, William Harold "Hal" Payne, who passed away in 2005. Rebekah was a devout Christian and a longtime member of Forest Hills Baptist Church, her volunteering for the "Needles and Prayers," as well as WMU for many years. She was also a big NC State Wolfpack basketball fan, and even knew more about the sport than most people. For many years, she assisted her husband Hal in his business by doing bookkeeping. After raising their three children, she went back to work for the State of North Carolina in the Division of Youth Services, working in the accounting department. Most importantly, she was a wonderful Christian, wife, mother and grandmother, friend and will be greatly missed by all who knew her. Rebekah is survived by her sons, William H. Payne, II and J. Mark Payne; grandchildren, Stacy W. Stover and her husband, Richard, Maria Shelton and Windsor Creech; great-grandchildren, Revel Shelton, Sebastian Shelton, Matt Creech, and Kaylee Creech; and other extended family. She was preceded in death by her husband, parents and daughter, Shirley Wilkins. Burial will be at Alamance Presbyterian Church in Greensboro, NC, with a graveside service at Noon, Wednesday, August 30, 2017. The graveside service will be Alamance Presbyterian Church, at 4000 Presbyterian Road, Greensboro, NC on Wednesday, August 30, 2017 at 12 p.m. A memorial service to celebrate Becky's life will be at Forest Hills Baptist Church, at 201 Dixie Trail, Raleigh, NC on Friday, September 1, 2017 at 11 a.m. The family will receive friends afterwards in the church parlor. If desired, memorial gifts might be made to the Forest Hills Baptist Church, Hospice, or to NC State University. Arrangements by Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, Saint Mary's St., Raleigh. Condolences may be made online a... (Greensboro News & Record)