Fay Porter Adams O'Melia

WILLOW SPRING – Fay Porter Adams O’Melia, 97, passed away on Monday at her home. Born in Pitt County, she was the daughter of the late Stanley Arthur Porter and Joe Reba Moore Porter.

A graveside service will be held on Friday, October 13th, 2023, at 11:00 AM at Lakeside Memorial Gardens, Angier. The family will receive friends following the graveside service at the cemetery.

Fay is survived by her children, Cherry A. Franks (Joseph) of Angier; and Con Adams (Gail) of Dunn; grandchildren, Zane Franks of Angier, Cody Franks (Erin) of Angier, Justin Adams of Killdeer, ND, Brittany Summers (Clint) of Stephenville, TX; great-grandchildren, Chase Franks, Olivia Franks, Colton Franks, Grayson Franks, Tilly Franks, and Claxton Summers; step-children, Donna Kriger (Paul) of Gettysburg, PA, Luci Smoak (James) of Wilkesboro, Mike O’Melia (Belinda) of Huntsville, AL, Linda Vanderbosch (Phillip) of Charlotte; as well as numerous nieces, nephews,

step-grandchildren, step great-grandchildren, and step great great-grandchildren.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husbands, Connie Adams, Harold Wilson, and Fred O’Melia; sister, Mary Jewel Phipps; brother-in-law, Curtis Phipps.

Fay grew up in the small town of Grimesland, NC. Her mother was a teacher and her father was a store owner and mail carrier. After completing high school in 1944, she enrolled in ECTC (East Carolina Teachers College) where she completed college in three years. When her high school principal, G.P. Carr, asked her and several of her friends about coming to Angier to teach, she agreed to go. Fay came to Angier and continued to teach in Harnett County for the next 35 years. She taught first grade and ninth - twelfth grade at Angier, LaFayette, Buies Creek and Harnett Central schools. She was blessed to have some wonderful principals along the way. Guy Davies and John Willoughby were two of the best.

Having majored in both Business Education and Social Studies, she enjoyed teaching such classes as typing, bookkeeping, shorthand, general business and various math classes as well. She served as Senior Advisor and assisted students in the publications of the schools’ annuals. She also wore the hat of librarian and guidance counselor when the need arose. As guidance counselor, she was instrumental in securing scholarships for many of her students. When interviewed prior to her retirement in 1982, she commented, “I always told my students that if I didn’t love what I was doing I’d change my career. I would not have stayed this long if I didn’t enjoy it.”

Even after retirement, she found herself back in the school setting, serving as a volunteer for several years in the library at North Harnett Primary School. She also served on the Angier Library Town Board as well as the Friends of the Library Board.

As for her married life, Fay found herself learning all about baseball, farming, foxhunting, raising cows and horses and rodeoing. Later she was taught all about coal mining and welding.

Along the way, she was blessed to travel through the United States, with trips to various other countries. She enjoyed cruises to Hawaii, Alaska, England, France, Italy, Bermuda, the Panama Canal, Cancun, the Virgin Island, just to name a few. She loved traveling and was always ready for the next big adventure.

Although she loved to travel, she also still found time to learn new hobbies. Later in life, she developed quite the skill for playing various card games. She met new friends when she began playing Bunco, Quarters and Hand, Knee, and Foot. Those card playing friends made life fun. The family will be forever grateful for all those ladies that kept Fay on the go. Ann Earp, Margaret Batten and Mary Lois Sartin could be found playing cards or visiting with her right up until the last week of her life.

Fay’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren will never forget learning to play “Quarters” with Grandmother/Granny Fay. But they will all agree that their fondest memory will be of her famous “Strawberry Dream Cake” (just don’t forget to watch for toothpicks that kept it from slipping away). Fay lived a long life, but oh what wonderful memories.

The family would especially like to thank Myasia McKinney for being such a wonderful caregiver. They could not have made it through this last journey of Fay’s life without her. Myasia, along with Rufina Molina and Lisa Sanchez showed love, patience, and compassion while caring for Fay.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Fay’s memory to the church or charity of your choice.