Jerry Clyde “Pop” Dr. Cashion

Dr. Jerry Clyde “Pop” Cashion died peacefully in his home in Raleigh on April 17, 2015 after a courageous battle with an illness of several months. Dr. Cashion was born in Statesville, North Carolina on November 18, 1940, son of Benjamin Harry and Alma Spears Cashion. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his wife, Rita Adams Cashion, and his brother William Harry Cashion. He is survived by his stepchildren, Tiffany Berner Willard and Jay P. Berner; grandchildren Seth Andrew Willard and Sydney Paige Willard; niece Christine Cashion Bauer (Steve) and her children Molly Katlin Bauer and Jerry William Cashion-Bauer; also by his friend and caretaker, William Wallace DeLaney III. He is survived also by numerous students, friends, and fraternity brothers. He earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of North Carolina where he was member of the Fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta, serving as advisor to his chapter for over a third of a century. His Ph.D. dissertation was directed by professors Hugh T. Lefler and William S. Powell. He taught North Carolina history at both the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University at Raleigh. For many years, he was Research Supervisor at the North Carolina Division of Archives and History, Department of Cultural Resources. He served as President of both the North Carolina Literary and Historical Association and the Historical Society of North Carolina, and was chairman of the North Carolina Historical Commission from 2001 until 2013. In addition, Dr. Cashion served on the State Records Advisory Board and on the National Register Advisory Committee. He also was a member of the Executive Board of Preservation North Carolina. Dr. Cashion received numerous rewards and honors, among which were the award for outstanding teaching at Chapel Hill; the Durance award from the International Fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta; the Christopher Crittenden Award for the preservation of North Carolina history; the Order of the Longleaf Pine presented by Governor Michael F. Easley; and the state’s highest award, the North Carolina Award which he received in 2007. Services in celebration of his life will be held Saturday, May 2, 2015 at 2:00 pm at Bryan-Lee Funeral Home, 831 Wake Forest Road, Raleigh NC to be followed by Inurnment at Oakwood Cemetery, 701 Oakwood Ave, Raleigh, NC. Memorials will be welcomed to the Pop Cashion Fellowship, Phi Gamma Delta Educational Foundation, P. O. Box 4599, Lexington, KY. 40544-4599, and to the North Caroliniana Society, c/o North Carolina Collection, UNC Campus Box 3930, Chapel Hill, NC 27515-8890. Family and friends of Dr. Cashion extend special thanks to Hospice of Wake County, Inc. and Dr. Susan Moore for their outstanding service to Pop.