- Born: May 7, 1934 Johnston, NC
- Died: Dec. 24, 2020 Indian Trail, Union, NC
- Buried: Center Ridge Church Cemetery, Glendale Community, Johnston, NC
- Married: Hester Delbridge Narron on Jan. 19, 1957, in Beulah Township, Johnston, NC
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| Esther's children with Hester Delbridge Narron |
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| Cynthia Marie Narron Philemon |
| Delbridge Eric Narron |
Courtesy Stancil Reunion Archive |
Courtesy Stancil Reunion Archive |
Esther Marie Godwin Narron, a dedicated educator and lifelong learner, was born on May 7, 1934, in Johnston County, North Carolina, the youngest of five children to James Marvin and Bessie Stancil Godwin. Her siblings were Cleon, Emma Lee, Elmer Leon, and Billy Horace Godwin. Esther spent part of her early life in Black Creek in Wilson County, where she distinguished herself by graduating first in her class from Black Creek School.
Following her graduation, Esther worked as a secretary/bookkeeper for five years until her marriage to Hester Delbridge Narron on January 19, 1957, in Beulah Township, Johnston County. Together, they had two children, Cynthia Marie Narron and Delbridge Eric Narron. Though their marriage later ended, Hester Delbridge Narron, who passed away on July 15, 2008, was a principal in several North Carolina counties and worked for the NC Probation-Parole Department.
After the birth of her son, Delbridge, Esther embarked on a remarkable journey to further her education. She attended Pfeiffer College in Misenheimer, NC, driving 100 miles round trip six days a week to earn her degree in education in 1967. Supported by a Trustee Scholarship, she proudly became the first member of her family to achieve a college degree.
Her commitment to education and her understanding of the challenges faced by student-parents led her and her son, Delbridge, to establish the Esther Godwin Narron Endowed Scholarship at Pfeiffer University in 2005. In describing her hopes for the scholarship, Esther expressed, "It is my hope that this scholarship will provide needed support for recipients and will allow them to make the most of their college educations at Pfeiffer while they continue to support and rear their children.”
Esther dedicated most of her career to teaching, primarily in the Union County school district, at Indian Trail Elementary and later at Sun Valley Middle. She specialized in teaching eighth-grade math and science, holding a special fondness and understanding for students of that age.
Beyond her professional life, Esther had a wide array of passions. She instilled a love for reading in her children and shared her enthusiasm for science and nature, often pointing out rock formations and other natural phenomena. A unique tradition of hers was delighting in standing eggs on end almost every equinox.
Esther was also skilled in various crafts, including crocheting, embroidery, and seamstress work, notably making her daughter’s wedding dress. She was an active community member, serving as a Boy Scout leader for the former Explorer Post 169 in Unionville. Her talents extended to ceramics, furniture upholstery, canning, cooking, and baking. Known for her contagious laugh and captivating stories of growing up on the farm, she shared tales of both hardship and delight.
A devout individual, Esther was a member of Pleasant Plains Baptist Church from 1968 until her death, where she was also ordained as a deacon.
Esther Marie Godwin Narron passed away on December 24, 2020, in Indian Trail, North Carolina, and was laid to rest in the Center Ridge Presbyterian Church cemetery in the Glendale Community of Johnston County, North Carolina.
