Notable Births & Deaths for Wake Forest ...

Below is our list of notable people who were born, died or were buried in the area surrounding Wake Forest. Please note that while we are collecting data on an ongoing basis, it's a big task and it's unlikely that our list will ever be more than a sample.

• John 'Big John' Baker
  • Full name: John Haywood Baker, Jr.
  • Professional football. He was born in Raleigh (NC) on June 10, 1935 (a Monday) and died in Raleigh (NC) on October 31, 2007 (a Wednesday) at the age of 72. He is buried at Carolina Biblical Gardens (Wake County, North Carolina).
  • Raleigh is located 15 miles [24.1 km] to the south of Wake Forest.
  • Raleigh is located 15 miles [24.1 km] to the south of Wake Forest.
  • Find-A-Grave Memorial: John 'Big John' Baker<1>
• Charlotte Hawkins Brown
  • Born: Lottie Hawkins
  • Author, educator, founder of the Palmer Memorial Institute. She was born in Henderson (NC) on June 11, 1883 (a Monday) and died in Greensboro (NC) on January 11, 1961 (a Wednesday) at the age of 77.
  • Henderson is located 24 miles [38.6 km] to the north of Wake Forest.
  • Find-A-Grave Memorial: Charlotte Hawkins Brown<1>
• Janis Carter
  • Born: Janis Elinore Dremann
  • Actress. She was born in Cleveland (OH) on October 10, 1913 (a Friday) and died in Durham (NC) on July 30, 1994 (a Saturday) at the age of 80. She is buried at Maplewood Cemetery (Durham County, North Carolina).
  • Durham is located 20 miles [32.2 km] to the west of Wake Forest.
  • Find-A-Grave Memorial: Janis Carter<1>
• Annie Elizabeth 'Bessie' Delany
  • Author. She was born in Raleigh (NC) on September 3, 1891 (a Thursday) and died in Mount Vernon (NY) on September 25, 1995 (a Monday) at the age of 104. She is buried at Mt. Hope Cemetery (Wake County, North Carolina).
  • Raleigh is located 15 miles [24.1 km] to the south of Wake Forest.
  • Find-A-Grave Memorial: Annie Elizabeth 'Bessie' Delany<1>
• Rick Ferrell
  • Major League Baseball. He was born in Durham (NC) on October 12, 1905 (a Thursday) and died in Bloomfield Hills (MI) on July 27, 1995 (a Thursday) at the age of 89. He is buried at New Garden Friends Cemetery (Guilford County, North Carolina).
  • Durham is located 20 miles [32.2 km] to the west of Wake Forest.
  • Find-A-Grave Memorial: Rick Ferrell<1>
• Randall Jarrell
  • Poet. He was born in Nashville (TN) on May 6, 1914 (a Wednesday) and died in Chapel Hill (NC) on October 14, 1965 (a Thursday) at the age of 51. He is buried at New Garden Friends Cemetery (Guilford County, North Carolina).
  • Chapel Hill is located 29 miles [46.7 km] to the west of Wake Forest.
  • Find-A-Grave Memorial: Randall Jarrell<1>
• Andrew Johnson
  • 17th President of the US (1865 - 1869). He was born in Raleigh (NC) on December 29, 1808 (a Thursday) and died in Elizabethton (TN) on July 31, 1875 (a Saturday) at the age of 66.
  • Raleigh is located 15 miles [24.1 km] to the south of Wake Forest.
  • Find-A-Grave Memorial: Andrew Johnson<1>
• Jack 'Galveston Giant' Johnson
  • Born: John Arthur Johnson
  • Professional boxer. He was born in Galveston (TX) on March 31, 1878 (a Sunday) and died in Franklinton (NC) on June 10, 1946 (a Monday) at the age of 68. He is buried at Graceland Cemetery (Cook County, Illinois).
  • Franklinton is located 9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast of Wake Forest.
  • Find-A-Grave Memorial: Jack 'Galveston Giant' Johnson<1>
• Ted Kaczynski
  • Full name: Theodore John Kaczynski
  • The Unabomber. He was born in Chicago (IL) on May 22, 1942 (a Friday) and died in Bahama (NC) on June 10, 2023 (a Saturday) at the age of 81. The body was cremated.
  • Bahama is located 22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest of Wake Forest.
  • Find-A-Grave Memorial: Ted Kaczynski<1>
• Ben E. King
  • Full name: Bengamin Earl Nelson
  • Singer, songwriter. He was born in Henderson (NC) on September 28, 1938 (a Wednesday) and died in Teaneck (NJ) on April 30, 2015 (a Thursday) at the age of 76. He is buried at Hackensack Cemetery (Bergen County, New Jersey).
  • Henderson is located 24 miles [38.6 km] to the north of Wake Forest.
  • Find-A-Grave Memorial: Ben E. King<1>
• Dewey 'Pigmeat' Markham
  • Entertainer. He was born in Durham (NC) on April 18, 1904 (a Monday) and died in Bronx (NY) on December 13, 1981 (a Sunday) at the age of 77. He is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx County, New York).
  • Durham is located 20 miles [32.2 km] to the west of Wake Forest.
  • Find-A-Grave Memorial: Dewey 'Pigmeat' Markham<1>
• Janis Martin
  • Musician. She was born in Sutherlin (VA) on March 27, 1940 (a Wednesday) and died in Durham (NC) on September 3, 2007 (a Monday) at the age of 67. She is buried at Highland Burial Park (Danville City, Virginia).
  • Durham is located 20 miles [32.2 km] to the west of Wake Forest.
  • Find-A-Grave Memorial: Janis Martin<1>
• Clyde Lensley McPhatter
  • Singer. He was born in Durham (NC) on November 15, 1932 (a Tueday) and died in New York (NY) on June 13, 1972 (a Tueday) at the age of 39. He is buried at George Washington Memorial Park (Bergen County, New Jersey).
  • Durham is located 20 miles [32.2 km] to the west of Wake Forest.
  • Find-A-Grave Memorial: Clyde Lensley McPhatter<1>
• Anita Rose Morris
  • Actress. She was born in Durham (NC) on March 14, 1943 (a Sunday) and died in Los Angeles (CA) on March 2, 1994 (a Wednesday) at the age of 51. She is buried at Maplewood Cemetery (Durham County, North Carolina).
  • Durham is located 20 miles [32.2 km] to the west of Wake Forest.
  • Find-A-Grave Memorial: Anita Rose Morris<1>
• Raymond Lee 'Ray' Murray
  • Professional baseball. He was born in Spring Hope (NC) on October 12, 1917 (a Friday) and died in Fort Worth (TX) on April 9, 2003 (a Wednesday) at the age of 85. He is buried at Shannon Rose Hill Memorial Park (Tarrant County, Texas).
  • Spring Hope is located 23 miles [37 km] to the east of Wake Forest.
  • Find-A-Grave Memorial: Raymond Lee 'Ray' Murray<1>
• Soupy Sales
  • Born: Milton Supman
  • Comedian. He was born in Franklinton (NC) on January 8, 1926 (a Friday) and died in Bronx (NY) on October 22, 2009 (a Thursday) at the age of 83. He is buried at Kensico Cemetery (Westchester County, New York).
  • Franklinton is located 9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast of Wake Forest.
  • Find-A-Grave Memorial: Soupy Sales<1>
• Kate Elizabeth Smith
  • Singer. She was born in Washington, DC on May 1, 1907 (a Wednesday) and died in Raleigh (NC) on June 17, 1986 (a Tueday) at the age of 79.
  • Raleigh is located 15 miles [24.1 km] to the south of Wake Forest.
  • Find-A-Grave Memorial: Kate Elizabeth Smith<1>
• Grady Tate
  • Musician. He was born in Durham (NC) on January 14, 1932 (a Thursday) and died in New York (NY) on October 8, 2017 (a Sunday) at the age of 85. He is buried at Calverton National Cemetery (Suffolk County, New York).
  • Durham is located 20 miles [32.2 km] to the west of Wake Forest.
  • Find-A-Grave Memorial: Grady Tate<1>
• Gregory Walcott
  • Actor. He was born in Wendell (NC) on January 13, 1928 (a Friday) and died in Los Angeles (CA) on March 20, 2015 (a Friday) at the age of 87. He is buried at Oakwood Memorial Park (Los Angeles County, California).
  • Wendell is located 16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast of Wake Forest.
  • Find-A-Grave Memorial: Gregory Walcott<1>
• George 'Possum' Whitted
  • Major League Baseball. He was born in Durham (NC) on February 4, 1890 (a Tueday) and died in Wilmington (NC) on October 16, 1962 (a Tueday) at the age of 72. He is buried at Wilmington National Cemetery (New Hanover County, North Carolina).
  • Durham is located 20 miles [32.2 km] to the west of Wake Forest.
  • Find-A-Grave Memorial: George 'Possum' Whitted<1>
• Mary Lou Williams
  • Born: Mary Elfrieda Scruggs
  • Pianist, composer. She was born in Atlanta (GA) on May 8, 1910 (a Sunday) and died in Durham (NC) on May 28, 1981 (a Thursday) at the age of 71. She is buried at Calvary Catholic Cemetery (Allegheny County, Pennsylvania).
  • Durham is located 20 miles [32.2 km] to the west of Wake Forest.
  • Find-A-Grave Memorial: Mary Lou Williams<1>

Off-the-Road Links ...

The official website for Wake Forest: www.ci.wake-forest.nc.us/

The official website for Franklin County: www.co.franklin.nc.us/

The official website for State of North Carolina: https://www.nc.gov/