Doris Nutt Sears

June 3, 1928 - June 16, 2022

– Doris Nutt Sears, age 94, a resident of Searstone Retirement Community, passed away to her eternal home with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on June 16, 2022. She was a native of Wake County, NC, and grew up in the rural Carpenter community. She was baptized at Good Hope Baptist Church, where she was a lifelong active member serving in many different areas but especially with GAs, nursery, and all food serving occasions. Doris’ life served as an excellent example to follow for selfless love and service to her family, friends, church, and her extended community. Born the youngest child of the late William Frederick Nutt and Gladys Carpenter Nutt, she married Raeford Lee Sears on July 2, 1949, at Good Hope Baptist Church. They were married for 51 years before his death in 2000. Three brothers and four sisters also preceded her in death. Doris lived her entire life within a 10 mile radius of her homeplace. In 2014, she moved from her home of 65 years to Searstone. There she made many friends in her new “community.” She was an avid gardener and enjoyed tending her vegetables, plants and flowers at both of her homes. Another of her favorite activities was sewing, making clothes for her daughters early on, and later sewing small stuffed animals for children at WakeMed Pediatric Emergency Department with a group of friends at Searstone. Doris graduated from Green Hope High School in 1945 and completed additional training at Croft Business College in Durham, NC. She managed to balance her work as a wife and mother with full time “public” work. After 22 years of service to the US government, she retired on December 1, 1989, from the Department of Health and Human Services, National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), Research Triangle Park, NC and was recognized as a recipient of the 1989 director’s award in Data Processing and Statistical Computing. Surviving are her daughters, Stephanie Sears Yates, and husband, Woody Herman Yates of Cary; Vickie Sears Ryals, and husband, Charles Leon Ryals of Fuquay-Varina, and Stephanie’s son, Matthew Tyler Yates, and wife Lauren of Raleigh, and their sons, Tyson Franklin Yates, and Anderson Raeford Yates; and Vickie’s son, Kenneth Allen Ryals, and wife Shannon of Georgetown, SC. The family wishes to express their heartfelt appreciation to Dr. Richard Daw, WakeMed Cary Hospital and the staff at Searstone for their kind and loving care provided to Doris. On Monday, June 20th at 1:00 PM, a celebration of Doris’ life will be held in the sanctuary of Good Hope Baptist Church with burial at the Good Hope Baptist Church cemetery. Following interment, the family will receive friends in the Family Life Center at the church. Memorial contributions are appreciated and may be directed to the Building Expansion Fund at Good Hope Baptist Church, 6628 Good Hope Church Road, Cary, NC 27519. “My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken.” Psalm 62:1 – 2