Emily S. Barrow, 83, of Chapel Hill, N.C., passed away Dec. 2, 2010 at the Meadowlands facility of Duke Hospice in Hillsborough, N.C.
Her first husband, Pebley Barrow of Tampa, Fla., her second husband, James Clark of Smithfield, N.C., and her siblings Erle, Bill and Christine preceded her in death. Her sons, David, Randall and Michael and his wife, Carol, all of Chapel Hill, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren survive her.
A native of Washington, D.C., Emily received her B.A. from Meredith College in 1950, her M.A. from UNC in 1952 and her Ph.D. from UNC in 1963. She retired in 1982 as a full professor from the UNC department of pathology. A co-discoverer of human clotting factor X, she distinguished herself in the study of hemophilia and genetics.
She performed extensive volunteer work with the Inter-Faith Council for more than 30 years, part of the time serving as president of the IFC. She founded Alcoholism Recovery Inc., which eventually became Freedom House. During the cafeteria workers’ struggle in the late 1960s, she served on the faculty committee trying to resolve the situation. She was a quiet force for peace and social justice at a time when it was considered “inappropriate,†but that never stopped her from gently influencing by example those around her.
She loved to sing and was a member of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Community Chorus and the Binkley Baptist Church Choir. An avid gardener, she was well known in her neighborhood for her beautiful flowers and vegetables.
A memorial service will be held at Binkley Church on June 18, 2011 at 2 p.m. The family has set up a blog, and comments are welcome. Visit her blog at hezzissis.wordpress.com
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Inter-Faith Council for Social Services at 110 W. Main St., Carrboro, NC 27510.
I am so sorry to read of the passing of Dr. Barrow. Her first husband, Pebley Barrow, was the half brother of my mother, Julia Barrow. Mom was born in Pensacola in 1914. She passed away in 2005. Pebley Senior was born, raised and is buried here in Pensacola.
Paul Merritt