Ernest R. "Pete" Carraway Sr.

Published in The News & Observer on March 19, 2010

Ernest R. “Pete” Carraway, Sr., 91, died Wednesday, March 17, 2010.

The funeral service will be conducted Sunday at 2:00 p.m. in Oakmont Baptist Church. Burial will follow in Pinewood Memorial Park.
Pete, a native of Greene County, played professional baseball prior to serving in the United States Navy during World War II. After being discharged he received his BA degree from UNC Chapel Hill, where he played baseball and ran track.

Pete had been a resident of Greenville since 1952, and was employed with the NC Department of Revenue for 34 years. He served as president of the State Employees Association of North Carolina and chaired the NC State Personnel Commission for seven years. He was named Outstanding State Employee in 1980 and received the Governors Award for Outstanding Service in 1983. He also served locally on the Greenville Planning and Zoning Board and as election precinct chief judge. Pete was an active volunteer in Greenville youth sports, particularly baseball for 43 years, serving as coach and administrator.

He was named Volunteer of the Year by Greenville Recreation and Parks in 1991 and Coach of the Year by the Hot Stove League in 1994. He played church softball for 25 years (chosen as an All Star at age 51) and actively participated in the Senior Games, including serving on the Steering Committee from 1986 to 1995. Among his numerous medals, he was the NC State Horseshoe Champion multiple times and national runner up in horseshoes in 1999.

Pete was a member of the Greenville Jaycees and later the Optimist Club, where he served as president and was named Optimist of the Year in 1966. He was a member of the American Legion and served as the treasurer of the Legion’s Pitt County Agricultural Fair from 1990 to 1995.

A charter member of Oakmont Baptist Church, Pete served in many capacities and was named a Lifetime Deacon. He was preceded in death by his wife of 57 years, Grace Humbles Carraway. He was the 7th of 10 children, all of whom predeceased him.

He is survived by his wife of four years, Lib Stocks Carraway; sons, Ernest Carraway, Jr. and wife, Teresa, of Raleigh, and Robert Carraway of Charlottesville, VA; daughter, Sylvia Fuller of Greenville; granddaughters, Kristen, Elizabeth, Jennifer and Maggie; grandsons, Wilson, Ford, and Alex; and a host of loving family members.

The family will receive friends Saturday from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Wilkerson Funeral Home.

Memorial contributions may be made to Oakmont Baptist Church, 1100 Red Banks Road, Greenville, NC 27858, or Greenville Recreation and Parks, P.O. Box 7207, Greenville, NC 27835.