Mary Magalene Alford

Mary Magalene Alford, 85, passed away on January 1, 2025, after a difficult battle with lung cancer. She was born in Wake County, North Carolina, on December 8, 1939, and was the daughter of the late Alonzo Willis Watkins and Maggie M. Watkins.

Mary was an exceptional mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and friend. Early in her life she met and married her great love and best friend, Billy Wayne Alford, and they spent many memorable years together before his passing in 2014. She was an avid gardener and was quite fond of the flowers she grew, some of her favorites including the hibiscus flower and the flower buds of the dogwood tree. She loved Christmas and enjoyed any holiday that she was able to spend time with her family. One of her favorite things to do was to sing along to her two favorite artists, Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty, who she was a fanatical fan of. But she was most fond of her family, especially her grandchildren who she was incredibly close with, her love and commitment to her family was something to admire and was reflected in all that she did. She will be remembered fondly by her family and friends as a woman of great strength and conviction.

In addition to her parents, Mary is preceded in death by her husband, Billy Wayne Alford; and by her brother, Joseph Watkins, all of whom she loved very dearly.

Mary is survived by her daughters, Sylvia Kay Allen, and Denise Goodwin; son, Lee Thomason; grandchildren, Crystal Barreras and husband, Ramon Barreras, Ricky Van Goodwin, Jessica Denise Goodwin, Roger Adams Jr., Phillip Galloway Goodwin, Robert Wayne Bridges; and great grandchildren, Savannah, Isabella, Hayden, Dakota, Lucas, Christopher, and Tyler.

A funeral service will be held at 12:45 PM on Thursday, January 9th, 2025, at Bryan-Lee Funeral Home, 1200 Benson Road, Garner, NC 27529. Burial will follow after the service at Montlawn Memorial Park, 2911 S Wilmington St, Raleigh, NC 27603. The family will receive friends for a period of visitation from 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM, on Thursday, January 9th, 2025, at Bryan-Lee Funeral Home.

Flowers are welcome and may be sent to Bryan-Lee Funeral Home, 1200 Benson Road, Garner, NC 27529. Memorial donations may also be made in Mary's memory to the American Cancer Society: https://www.cancer.org/