Rebecca Ellen Bethea Wiggins, 85, of Fayetteville, NC, passed away on Saturday, May 19, 2012.
She was born in Dillon, SC on July 23, 1926 to Arthur Leon Bethea, Sr. and wife, Eva Bialey Bethea. her youth was spent in Dillon surrounded by the love of her siblings, her parents and her foster parents, Danny Reedy Hamilton and wife, Ruby Bailey Hamilton.
Rebecca married the love of her life Norman P. Wiggins on April 6, 1947. Norman and Rebecca shared their lives together for more than 55 years. They reared four children and were mentors and counselors to their children’s many friends.
Her zest and love for life led her down a path of adventure and community service. She was a Civil Service employee at Fort Bragg, NC retiring with 30 years of federal service. She began her Civil Service Career as a switchboard operator. The retired switchboard operators formed a group now know as the “Golden Girls” of which she was an active member. Her Civil Service career culminated as an inspector for the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC).
Upon her retirement from the Civil Service, she became the secretary for the Cape Fear Chapter of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees (NARFE). She served as secretary for teh chapter for more than ten years and was a delegate representing them at the NARGE State and National Convention.
Rebecca was a member and committee chairperson for the local chapter of the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP).
She was an active member of Village Baptist Church, the Women’s Club of Fayetteville, and was an avid bridge player with the Blue Street Bridge Club. Her love for her community and fellow seniors led her to be the leading advocate to building a new senior center for Cumberland County. Throughout her illness over the past year, she continued to pursue this venture.
Those left to cherish her memory are her son, Greg, and wife Becky of McDonough, GA, daughters Vicki and husband Gary of Fayetteville, NC, and Pam and partner Barbara of Asheboro, NC and her beloved grandsons, Steven and Christopher Wiggins of McDonough, FA; three sisters, Annie Watson, Jo Roth, and Joyce Dalsbo of Florence, SC, and sister-in-law Frances Bthea of Dillon along with numeros nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband Norman, and son Charles M. Wiggins. The family will receive visitors from 6-8 p.m. on Tuesday, Mary 22 at Jernigan Warren Funeral Home, located at 545 Ramsey Street in Fayetteville, NC. Funeral services will be conducted on Wednesday, May 23 at 1 p.m. at Village Baptist Church at 906 South McPherson Church Road ni Fayetteville, NC followed by burial at the Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery at 400 Murchison Road, Spring Lake, NC.