She could – and did – do it all

You’re reading Ways of Life, a weekly obituaries newsletter from The Charlotte Ledger honoring our friends, neighbors and family members who made an impact on Charlotte through the ways they lived their lives.

by Melinda Johnston

Leslia Deb Fredricks Thomas lived each day of her 65 years with curiosity, compassion and the determination to make a positive impression on the world.

Her only child, son Jason M. Thomas, said his mom was a product of the flower generation and lived by those principles of peace, love and acceptance of all — friends and strangers alike. She died Sept. 22.

“My mom was a bit eccentric, even making up words and phrases that she expected you to be able to understand,” her son said. “She told me that she was ‘allergic to thumbs,’ meaning that she wasn’t going to let anyone press her down. But at the same time, she wanted to make a meaningful impact on others.” 

That dedication to others was evidenced by the way she lived and worked throughout her many careers.

In the 1980s, she and Jason’s father, James B. Thomas, owned a farm and construction company in Gaffney, S.C. Both became volunteer firefighters with the town and even financed the first fire truck for the department. For fun, they hosted large gatherings on the farm and even a concert or two, piquing her love for music.

In the early 1990s, she was part of an organization advocating for the homeless in Charlotte. 

“I remember her being interviewed by the news,” her son said. “That’s when I realized that my mom was an advocate to others, and that never changed throughout her life. She would help anyone who needed it and always gave everyone the benefit of the doubt.”

“She was also relentless, a real pain in the ass when she needed to be for those same reasons. She was a woman that spoke truth to power and wasn’t afraid of anyone.”

After a career in construction (she helped build the Hurler at Carowinds and Jason watched her do the first test run on the groundbreaking roller coaster), fighting fires (which likely caused the lung cancer that eventually ended her life) and as an EMT, she decided to take her love of music to a new level, joining the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 322 and 491, where she worked as a stagehand and rigger. She spent the next few decades working backstage at some of the biggest events in Charlotte and the surrounding area — countless concerts and theatrical productions, and films including “The Legend of Bagger Vance” and “The Hunger Games.” She also worked the 2012 Democratic National Convention.

Her longtime partner, Tony Farina, said no job was too much for her small 5-foot-4-inch, 110-pound frame.

“She could do any job there was,” Farina said. “She climbed to the top of the coliseum carrying heavy lights. She could carry the corner of a 300-pound piece of equipment as good as anyone else. Union members are supposed to be specialized. She could do it all.”

For fun, she studied physics and biology and other areas of science, learning as much as she could and making connections no one else could see.

“We would be talking about transformers, and she would somehow manipulate the conversation into the human body, and she would make you realize that this big chunk of metal is doing the same thing as our body. And right when you got the grasp of that, she would turn it into politics, and as soon as you said, ‘You’re right,’ she would turn it into religion and then love,” Farina said.

“By the time we were done, you could tell she saw this gigantic connection. She provoked thinking — just not necessarily outside the box because her box was in something else entirely.”

But the people around her mattered most.

She lived in west Charlotte and, according to Farina, she didn’t lock her door for 20 years because both neighbors and people she worked with — friends and strangers alike — were welcome to come in and spend the night if they needed to. 

“Literally more than a hundred people stayed with her over the years. She was always trying to make the world a little better and teaching them something as well,” Farina said.

Union member Keegan Andrews says no matter the gig, Leslia was everyone’s mom: “She always had snacks, massages, smiles, whatever we needed.”

She also helped him through one of the hardest times of his life.

“My mom had just passed a few weeks before I joined the union,” Andrews said. “Leslia took me under her wing. She literally kept me alive. But that’s the way she was. She even took care of people she didn’t get along with. She would open her house and heart to you with no second thoughts.”

In her obituary, Jason wrote, “She collected people from different walks of life and built community around them.”

That community is now missing its catalyst.

“It’s almost a cliché that when someone dies people always say the world is a lot less bright,” Andrews said. “With Leslia, it’s not a cliché, it’s the truth.”

Melinda Johnston is a freelance writer who believes everyone has a story to tell. She considers it an honor when those stories are told to her, and she gets to share them with others. Reach her at [email protected].

Garland “Gigi” Binford, 81, of Charlotte devoted her career to teaching preschool at Providence Baptist Wee School, Calvary Church and Carmel Christian School in Charlotte, where she helped young children learn and grow. Whether playing canasta or mahjong, baking goodies for friends or simply enjoying one another's company, she cherished the connections she made. Garland also loved an adventure. She enjoyed spontaneous girls' trips to the beach and mountains, as well as girls' days spent shopping and going out to lunch. She loved gardening and planting flowers around her home, adding color and beauty to the place she called her own.

Howard Dean Boylan, 98, of Matthews worked for both Monsanto and White and Co. in Charlotte. He went to church at Providence United Methodist Church. In 1981, Howard helped create a medical mission in Haiti, making 14 trips there. Howard's love of travel took him to 68 countries. In the Army, he took 18 weeks of basic training at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, Ordnance Corps in Korea. He wrote a book, titled “Halfway There, Haole,” based on memories of the cross-cultural basic training.

Margaret Sarah Jurney Cobb, 100, of Hickory was a longtime member of St. Paul United Methodist Church in Charlotte, where she was active for 38 years. She served as chairperson of several church boards and was dedicated to her church and its activities. Margaret was involved in many community organizations and gave generously of her time to her community. 

Meredith Lee Craig, 99, was a lifelong Charlottean, living on the same property his entire life. He served as a Mecklenburg County police officer for 33 years and, for many years, held the mantle of the county police's oldest living member. He was a charter member, deacon, elder, Sunday school teacher and youth leader at Hickory Grove Presbyterian Church. He loved his men’s Sunday school class, which met every Monday morning for breakfast and fellowship. 

William “Bill” C. Davis, 101, of Charlotte started his work career in insurance and moved to Charlotte in 1953, staying in the insurance business for 40 years. He was a member of the Dr. Frank Young Sunday school class of the First Baptist Church in Charlotte. Bill enjoyed listening to classical music and watching the Lawrence Welk show.

Joseph “Joe” Daingerfield Dulaney, of Charlotte moved to Charlotte after his military service and began a long career as a property and casualty insurance agent, eventually partnering with Edgar Price as a co-owner of Price, Dulaney & Co. until retiring in 1999. During his working career, he also enjoyed being involved in many civic organizations, especially the Charlotte Southpark Rotary Club. He was a devout Episcopalian who loved attending services at Christ Episcopal Church in Charlotte. Joe was a joyous dancer who drew many onto the dance floor throughout his life, and he danced until his final days. He also loved golf and enjoyed being out on the courses in Charlotte.

Bobbie Starnes Elam, 94, of Charlotte worked at Bank of America until her retirement in 1994. She also faithfully served as a Sunday school teacher at Midwood Baptist Church in Charlotte for many years.

Shirley Ann Friend, 89, of Concord worked as a real estate agent. A significant part of her life was her faith. Shirley was a member of Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Charlotte for 60 years, until she was no longer able to drive. She loved baking cookies, working on puzzles, reading, going to the beach, participating in church activities and playing games with those she loved. Shirley will be remembered for the nourishing meals she brought to anyone who was sick or in need.

Margaret E. Greer, 96, of Locust graduated from Oakhurst High School in Charlotte. She spent her career at Celenese Corp. as a librarian. A woman of deep faith, Margaret was a founding member of Hickory Grove Baptist Church. She found joy in reading and traveling. 

Joseph Burroughs Hogan Jr., 84, of Daytona Beach, Fla., was asked to head the Charlotte office of New York Life in 1986 and was consistently in the top 10 in first-year commissions and recruiting under him. Joe retired at 51 and, in his retirement, enjoyed walking on the beach, along with playing golf, racquetball and riding his Harley-Davidson.

Joe Stan Hurley, 80, of League City, Texas, moved to Charlotte and was hired in the finance department of Harris Teeter, where he worked for 20 years. After retiring from Harris Teeter, Joe was hired by the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission as its chief financial officer, where he worked for 10 years. He then went to work for the Drury Hotel in Charlotte as their auditor. Joe was a member of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church. He loved playing golf at Cedarwood Country Club. 

Jack Wilbur Knost, 79, of Charlotte was a design and systems engineer for Duke Power/Energy at the Charlotte office and retired in 2010 with 35 years of service. Jack enjoyed training and bird hunting with his Brittany and English spaniels. After retirement, he continued to participate in trap and sporting clay events. Jack was a longtime member and range safety officer at the Charlotte Rifle and Pistol Club.

Marilyn Little London, 94, of Charlotte was a longtime member of Calvary Church in Charlotte. She worked in orthopedic and neurosurgical medical offices. She was also a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and took great pride in her rich family ancestry. Marilyn loved to travel extensively, fueling her passion for history, especially biblical history.

Gail Harley McQuay, 81, of Charlotte attended Queens College and, from that time forward, made Charlotte her home. An avid golfer, Gail was an active member of Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte. 

Wanda “Vera” Moore Stitt, 70, of Charlotte was educated in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and worked in the cafeteria at Charlotte Country Day School. Known for her generous heart, Vera enjoyed hosting gatherings, preparing meals and feeding others. Her compassion extended into the community, where she volunteered for events such as cancer walks. 

Kaye Talley, 88, of Charlotte served as a nurse at Presbyterian Main Hospital in Charlotte. After her devoted years as a nurse, she deeply enjoyed retirement, grateful for the time it gave her to rest. She loved her church, Sugaw Creek Presbyterian Church, where she was a member for many years and participated in the women of the church group.

Sandra Elaine Walker, 84, of Charlotte began teaching kindergarten in 1968. She concluded her CMS career after 16 years at Hidden Valley Elementary School. Sandra’s exceptional teaching abilities earned recognition in a 1974 Charlotte Observer article where she was described as “one of Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s best kindergarten teachers.” After retiring from CMS, Sandra taught at the “4 Or More” pre-K program at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, where she taught for five years. Sandra was a faithful member of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church for more than 50 years. In 1977, she earned a master’s degree in early childhood education from UNC Charlotte.

Ways of Life condensed obituaries are compiled by Darrell Horwitz.