Columbia Ann Mercer Kornegay

• Born: Feb. 8, 1934 Duplin, NC
• Died: March 15, 2012 SECU Hospice House, Smithfield, Johnston, NC
• Buried: Evergreen Cemetery, Goldsboro, NC
• Married: Eldon Lee Kornegay Sr. on Dec. 12, 1950

Columbia Ann Mercer Kornegay was born Feb. 8, 1934, and died Dec. 12, 1950.
Ann's children with Eldon Lee Kornegay
Ronnie Lee Kornegay July 16, 1953-July 16, 1953; Buried in Cabin Church Cemetery, Cabin Community, Duplin, NC
Eldon Lee Kornegay Jr. Sept. 25, 1955 Wayne, NC-Sept. 23, 2019 Abbeville, Henry, AL; Buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Goldsboro, Wayne, NC
Rickie Eugene Kornegay
Mark Stephen Kornegay

Columbia Ann Mercer Kornegay, born on February 8, 1934, was the daughter of Willie Flave and Beulah Lindolph Stancil Mercer. She was a granddaughter of Alvin Rosco and Fannie Columbia Pittman Stancil.

Ann grew up on a farm in Limestone Township, Duplin County, NC, where her family raised tobacco, corn, soybeans, hogs, and chickens, and maintained a large garden.

The family attended Cabin Free Will Baptist Church in Beulaville, NC. Recognizing their singing talent, Ann's mother, Beulah, formed a quartet with Ann and her siblings, Reuben, A.R., and Margaret, who sang in church.

Ann adored her parents and enjoyed childhood games like "Hide and Seek" and making "Frog Houses" with her younger brothers, A.R. and Reuben, though she later preferred cooking indoors to playing outside.

Ann attended East Duplin High School, where she met Eldon Lee Kornegay from Gradys Crossroads. Lee, who shared her farm background and work ethic, quickly became her steady companion. Lee was the son of John Kornegay and Ardola Outlaw Kornegay. 

The family liked Lee. A.R. recalled that Lee had a Jeep too. Ann and Lee were a steady twosome and before long they were deeply in love. 

He worked at a clothing store in Mount Olive, managing collections.

With the blessings of their parents, Ann and Lee married in South Carolina, accompanied by Lee's brother Justin and his wife, Marie. This was a favorite location as no blood test or waiting period was required.

Her brother, A.R., used a farm trailer pulled behind a car to assist moving Ann and Lee into an upstairs apartment in Mount Olive, a community west of Gradys Crossroads. Ann’s parents gave them a bedroom suite and Lee’s family gave them other furnishings. Lee worked for a lumber company.

After several years, due to a challenging economy in NC, Lee enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. Ann joined him in Texas after his basic training, working as a waitress. In 1953, while Lee was stationed in Germany, Ann gave birth to their stillborn son, Ronnie Lee Kornegay, on July 16 in Texas. Her father, Flave, and brother-in-law, Nelson, traveled to Texas to bring Ann and Ronnie Lee back to Beulaville, where he was buried in the Cabin Free Will Baptist Church Cemetery.

Following Lee's honorable discharge, he became a Jet Mechanic Instructor at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro, NC, where they moved. Their sons, Eldon Lee Jr., Rickie Eugene, and Mark Stephen, were born in Wayne County. Ann was an active member of her community, volunteering as a Cub Scouts Den mother for her sons. In the mid-1970s, Ann was employed by Darden Sandwich Company. She spent most of her life in Goldsboro and later years in Four Oaks and Smithfield, NC. Ann also served as a nursery attendant for over 10 years at Stoney Creek Free Will Baptist Church in Goldsboro, later attending Casey's Chapel Free Will Baptist Church.

Tragically, Lee developed leukemia and passed away on May 7, 1977. Ann bravely navigated life without him, focusing on her sons, especially Mark, who was still in high school. In 1979, she moved to Alexandria, VA, with her granddaughter Sherrie, where her sons Eldon and Mark eventually joined her. Ann returned to NC in 1993.

Ann was known for her artistic talent, creating beautiful ceramic Christmas trees and crafting Christmas trees from Reader's Digest, valuing creativity over monetary expense. She had a lifelong love for dolls and built a collection. Inspired by the TV show "Touched by An Angel," which began airing in 1994, Ann started collecting angels, which her family often gifted her. She enjoyed yard sales and crafts, and Christmas, celebrating Jesus' birthday, was her favorite holiday.

Ann loved singing hymns, particularly "How Great Thou Art." Family traditions included trips to the mountains and the beach, cookouts, and Christmases in Beulaville, always featuring two kinds of stuffing. Her legendary salads, set up like a salad bar, were a highlight. Ann and Lee had enjoyed family trips to the Smoky Mountains, Topsail Island, and Myrtle Beach, SC, with her last trip being in the summer of 2010.

Ann raised her granddaughter, Sherrie, who later became her devoted caregiver when Ann was diagnosed with dementia. Ann also shared a special bond with her great-grandson, TJ, whose birth she attended; they were "best buddies" when he was a toddler, and TJ was a great help in her later life. Ann was a celebrated cook, recognized by her family for her world-class coleslaw, hush puppies, chicken pastry, oyster stuffing, and hamburger steak. She welcomed all guests, always finding room for one more at her table.

Ann faced many obstacles in her life, but her deep faith allowed her to maintain a positive attitude and quick smile. The last Stancil Reunion she was able to attend was in 2006, accompanied by her son Mark and his wife, LaVonda. Ann was blessed with devoted sons, and her home was a haven of love and security, fostering close family ties during gatherings. She was known as "the underdog's best friend."

Columbia Ann Mercer Kornegay passed away at the age of 78 on March 15, 2012, at the SECU Hospice House in Smithfield, NC, after a long struggle with dementia. Her service was officiated by Dr. Dewayne Eakes, and she is buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Goldsboro.

Her son, Eldon Lee Kornegay Jr., died at 63 on September 23, 2019, in Abbeville, Alabama, and is buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Goldsboro.