Birth Date: 09/28/1927
Deceased Date: 12/01/2017
Zelda Braswell Wood, aged 90 of Smithfield, passed into the arms of her Heavenly Father on December 1, 2017 after a lengthy battle with dementia.
Zelda was born in Selma Township, a daughter of the late William Alexander Braswell and his wife, Ada Stafford Braswell Hinnant. She was also preceded in death by her beloved husband, Charlie Braxton Wood, Sr.,and her siblings Kathleen B. Finch, Harvey Braswell, Sr., Doris B. Sweetland, and William A. Braswell, Jr.
Survivors include one daughter, Deidre W. Kraft (Robert) of Smithfield, and two sons, Charlie Braxton Wood, Jr. (Sheilah) of Clayton, and Roger Henderson Wood (fiance Cindy Burrell) of Raleigh. Zelda is also survived by four treasured grandchildren: Christina Wood, Kimberly W. Van Enkevort (Ryan), Candace W. Swain (Dustin) and Jonathan Tyler Wood as well as three precious great grandchildren: Presleigh and Camden Swain and her namesake, Zelda Van Enkevort. She has one sister, Berniece B. Beasley of Virginia, one brother-in-law L. Roger “Jimmy” Wood (Linda) of Selma, one sister-in-law Hilda S. Wood of Garner and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews whom she cherished.
Zelda graduated from Wilson’s Mills High School as Valedictorian of the Class of 1944. She was a past employee of Burlington, Fieldcrest and the Johnston County Heritage Center. She was also a past Regent of Smith-Bryan Chapter NSDAR and a member of Wilson’s Mills Baptist Church where she taught Sunday School and sang in the choir for over thirty years.
Zelda loved her Lord, her family, her church family, her flowers (especially irises and daylilies), poetry, a good book, the News & Observer, finishing the daily crossword puzzle, Van Gogh paintings, and genealogy. She authored four family history books and co-authored others on Johnston County kinfolks.
Funeral services will be Sunday at 2:00 p.m. at First Baptist Church in Smithfield followed by burial at Hills of the Neuse Cemetery.
The family will receive friends Saturday evening from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Wilson’s Mills Baptist Church and at other times at the home of her daughter, 109 Castle Drive, Smithfield. Flowers are welcome or memorials may be given to the Wilson’s Mills Baptist Church Building Fund, 652 Swift Creek Road, Smithfield 27577 or to the Johnston County Heritage Center, 241 East Market Street, Smithfield 27577.
The family gratefully acknowledges the love and care Zelda received from the special people at Smithfield Manor Nursing & Rehab Center where she had lived for nearly six years.
Online condolences may be made at parrishfh.com.
