Nancy Bender

WILMINGTON:Nancy Blackwell Parham Bender died peacefully on Monday,

September 23, 2024 from complications of pneumonia and dementia. She was born in Wilmington, NC on May 5, 1944. Her family moved to

Raleigh in 1947 where she grew up and she graduated from Broughton High School in 1962. She was a graduate of Peace College in Raleigh and

Greensboro College. She was a social worker in Nash and

Chatham counties, while putting her husband through law school.


Nancy was a long-time resident of Charlotte, NC where she

taught preschool at Christ Episcopal and Sharon Presbyterian.

She was a member of The Church of the Holy Comforter in

Charlotte for 30 years. She enjoyed sitting on the beach, watching the boats on the Cape Fear River, reading and getting together with her friends for beach trips, dinners, and girls weekends.


Surviving are her daughter, Currin Louise Bender of Wilmington,

NC and her brother, George Houghtaling Parham, Jr. also of

Wilmington, his wife Quincy Stewart Parham, their daughter Stewart Parham Difiore, husband Peter DiFiore and their two children, Mildred “Millie” and Cecilia, “CC”. Her husband, Harold Johnson Bender, predeceased her.


In lieu of flowers, donations to The Spokes Group and/or Nourish Up (Loaves and Fishes) would be appreciated. These two charities were close to Nancy’s heart. Memorial service at The Church of The Holy Comfortable in Charlotte to be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Church of the Holy Comforter. Aquamation services are entrusted to Tranquility Cremation by Aquamation in Wilmington.