Donald Wayne Memory

Donald Wayne Memory died on Friday, September 4, 2020 at Brookridge Retirement Community following a long illness. At the time of his death he was surrounded by his family. He was born June 10, 1936 in Cumberland Gap TN to Odessa Arnette Memory and Duncan Thomas Memory. Following the death of his father, the family moved from Birmingham AL to the Riverton community in Scotland County where they had a summer house. This log cabin, built by Donald’s father, became their permanent home. After graduating from Wagram High School, he attended North Carolina State University on a Talent for Service Scholarship. He was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. He graduated in 1958 with a degree in Chemical Engineering, and for the next two years he served in the U.S. Army as a member of the Chemical Corps. In 1960 he moved to Winston-Salem in order to become a chemical engineer with R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. In 1963 he became a stockbroker with Harris Upham which later became Smith Barney. He retired as First Vice President in 2009 after a 42-year career with Smith Barney.

Donald was a Past President of the Winston-Salem Bachelors’ Club and the Y-Men’s Club. He served as a Board member of the Addiction Recovery Care Association (ARCA) and the Triad Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). He was a former member of Old Town Club. He enjoyed playing basketball into his 30’s and tennis into his 60’s, but his favorite activity was coaching his children’s basketball and soccer teams for over 20 seasons. Donald and his wife Katherine served on the Parents’ Council at both Wake Forest University and Elon University.

Survivors include his wife of 50 years, Katherine Kerr Memory and their three children: Duncan Thomas Memory (Amy) of Winston-Salem, Alexa Memory Bazley (Michael) of Asheville NC, and George Kerr Memory (Jennifer) of Winston-Salem. He is also survived by seven grandchildren: Ella Kate Memory and Duncan Thomas Memory Jr., both of Winston-Salem; Katherine Memory Bazley, Charles Daniel Bazley and Thomas Edward Bazley of Asheville NC; and Avery Lynn Memory and Odessa Kerr Memory of Winston-Salem. He is survived by brothers Thomas McNeill Memory of Taylorsville NC, David McIntosh Memory of Winston-Salem, and John Madison Memory of Columbia SC.
The family wishes to express its gratitude to the staff of Brookridge Retirement Community who lovingly cared for Donald over the last three years.

A private family service will be held at Salem Funeral Home, and a graveside service will be held at Spring Hill Cemetery in Wagram NC at a future date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Catharine Campbell and Daniel White Memorial Scholarship Fund (in c/o of the North Carolina Community Foundation, 3737 Glenwood Avenue, Suite 460, Raleigh NC 27612; to the Diabetes Family Connection (6325 Falls of Neuse Road, Suite 35-241, Raleigh NC 27615); or to the Duncan Thomas Memory Scholarship Fund at N.C. State University (230 Page Hall, Box 7901, Raleigh NC 27695-7901).

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