Lucy Meade Harless Edmundson

   Lucy Meade Harless Edmundson, age 89, of Edenton, North Carolina, died on May 6, 2025.

   Lucy Meade was born on March 18, 1936 in Dinwiddie County, Virginia, the daughter of the late Thomas Thweatt Atkinson and Bessie Edmunds Atkinson. She was preceded in death by her husbands Allen Boyd Harless, Jr. and Aaron Caswell Edmundson.

   Lucy Meade was a graduate of Sunnyside McKenney High School where she was valedictorian of her class. She graduated from Meredith College with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education where she was an Astro Society Marshal, represented the Junior Class on the May Court and was College Marshal her senior year. Lucy Meade enjoyed telling friends and family that she would forever be a “Meredith Angel”.

   Lucy Meade knew in fourth grade she wanted to be a teacher and came from a long line of educators. Her grandmother, mother and two of her sisters were teachers and her father was a teacher and a principal. Upon graduation from Meredith College, she began her teaching career at Hattie Harney School in Elizabeth City and during her career, which spanned 38 years she taught at E.A. Swain Elementary, Roanoke-Chowan Academy, Chowan Academy and D.F. Walker Elementary and at each school she taught she was known as a dedicated and conscientious teacher.

   Lucy Meade was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma Honorary Society of Women Educators. She was also a member of the Edenton Tea Party Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and was former Regent for the Chapter and most recently received the designation of Honorary Chapter Regent. She served her community as a volunteer at the Barker House and Chowan Arts Council and was an active and devoted member of Edenton United Methodist Church where she was a member of the John A. Holmes Sunday School Class.

   Lucy Meade was known as “Ha-Ha” by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren because of her ever-present laugh and her ability to make all those around her smile. In her retirement, she enjoyed playing tennis, pinochle and bridge, and following her grandchildren and great-grandchildren’s activities and spending time with family and friends.

   In addition to her late parents and husbands, she was preceded in death by her brother, Thomas Thweatt Atkinson and wife Lucile Atkinson, of Richmond, Virginia, sister Mary Neal Atkinson DuBose and husband Dr. Bolling S. DuBose, Jr. of Athens, Georgia, sister Clara Cox and husband Robert A. Cox, Jr. of Richmond, Virginia and sister Elizabeth (Boo) Ballard and husband William Ballard of Suffolk, Virginia and a devoted friend Erie Haste, Jr. of Hertford, North Carolina.

   Lucy Meade is survived by daughter Katherine Harless McMullan and husband Henry Matthew McMullan of High Point, North Carolina, daughter Martha Scott Harless High and husband William Hackney High, Jr. of Edenton, North Carolina, grandchildren Henry Matthew McMullan, Jr. and wife Brianne Hough McMullan of Decatur, Georgia, Mary Meade McMullan Holloway and husband Parker William Holloway of Dallas, Texas, Molly Castleton High of Austin, Texas and William Hackney High, III of Wilmington, North Carolina, great-grandchildren Henry Matthew McMullan, III, Lucy Frances McMullan, Franklin Wylie McMullan and William Boyd Holloway, sister-in-law Anne Harless Jones and husband Richard H. Jones of Arlington, Virginia and a special friend who was like a daughter, Fran Hollowell Reynolds.

   A memorial service will be held Monday, May 12th, at 11:00 a.m. in Edenton United Methodist Church and will be conducted by the Rev. Elizabeth Polk and the Rev. Valerie Tyson. The private burial for immediate family will be in Beaver Hill Cemetery earlier in the day.

   Friends are invited to join the family for a reception immediately following the church service, or at all other times at Martha and Hack’s home, 107 West Gale Street, Edenton.

   In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to Edenton United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 37, or to the Edenton-Chowan Educational Foundation, P.O. Box 206, both in Edenton, NC 27932.

   Miller & Van Essendelft Funeral Home and Crematory, 735 Virginia Road, Edenton, is assisting the family with arrangements and online condolences may be made by visiting www.millerfhc.com.