By Staff
Linda Kilpatrick Covington of Washington, age 69, died on Dec. 4 at Alamance Regional Medical Center in Burlington, NC. She was born in Robersonville to J.M. and Loulee Kilpatrick. Linda had a brief battle with advanced cancer during which she displayed courage, dignity and the humor which has characterized her life. She had a smile and hug for the steady stream of nurses who came in daily to comfort her and who then felt lifted by her compliments for them, her optimism and acceptance of her illness.
Her childhood love of animals and spirit of adventure served Linda well as she lived in Liberia, Morocco, Belize, Greece, Virginia and Florida due to her husband William Covington’s position with the Voice of America. She adopted or cared for an array of animal friends and often involved herself with the community as a volunteer dental hygienist or craft teacher. She enjoyed bird rescue and rehab with the Beaufort County Humane Society. She recently rediscovered her love of horses and acquired Mustang Sally for her granddaughter.
Linda attended high school in Robersonville, ECU and Wayne Community College where she became a dental hygienist. She was married to Michael C. Bailey of Washington in 1958 and to William Covington in 1966. She is survived by daughters, Janet Calderon Bailey of Costa Rica and Dawn Covington Strachan of Burlington and by grandchildren Christopher, Jonathan and Jennifer Calderon Bailey of Costa Rica and Isla and Keir Strachan of Burlington. Her siblings are J.M. Kilpatrick, Jr. of Windsor, Michael Kilpatrick and wife, Kay, of Washington and Emily K. Keel and husband, Phil, of Robersonville. Her sons-in-law are Eliecer Calderon and Jon Paul Strachan. Jack, the greyhound, is her most recent canine fan.
On Dec. 7, her funeral will be held at Biggs Funeral Home in Robersonville at 11 a.m. followed by burial at the Robersonville cemetery. Visitation with the family at the funeral home will be Dec. 6 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, Linda would like you to support the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Carolinas in honor of Isla Strachan at 2301 Stonehenge Drive, Suite 200, Raleigh, NC, 27615, www.cff.org/Great_Strides/DawnStrachan, or the Beaufort County Humane Society at P.O. Box 8, Washington, NC, 27889.
Paid Obituary