Adele Marie (Hefner) Harrod

Adele Marie (Hefner) Harrod, affectionately known to many as “Buttonz” or “Granny Buttonz,” 88, of Raleigh, North Carolina, passed away of natural causes in her home on February 12, 2021, with her family members by her side. She was the 3rd of 10 children, the oldest daughter, born to parents Reverend Cledith Dalton Hefner and Minerva Belle (Arnold) Hefner on March 31, 1932, in Cincinnati, Ohio. Her mother unexpectedly passed away in childbirth when Adele was 10 years old, which created a great upheaval in her childhood. Adele graduated from Dover High School in 1955 and attended Nyack Bible Institute where she met her former husband. They moved to Dover, Ohio in 1956 and by the time they moved to Raleigh, North Carolina in 1967, they had six children in tow. Adele was a homemaker for her family, and she was always sewing and crocheting. She was very active in the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church, where she served in the Women’s Missionary Prayer Fellowship (WMPF), as a Deaconess, and as a Ladies Bible Study leader. She is well-remembered for her compassion toward “the least of these,” ever befriending and helping new families in the church, college students, the sick and infirmed, and even ministering to death row inmates. She enjoyed participating in the Golden Years Club, WakeMed Hospital Community Sewing Volunteer program and WakeMed Hospital Office Volunteer program when she lived in Capitol Towers. After moving in with her daughter and son-in-law, Denise and Tim, she attended St. Mark’s United Methodist Church for several years, and then settled into North Ridge Church, where she enjoyed participating in the Live Oaks Seniors Ministry. She is known for being a colorful character with her long purple hair, her integrity, her generosity, and her unconditional love.

Adele is survived by a very large family, plus a host of loved ones whom she embraced as family: 4 siblings: Maysel, Annie, Milt (Trudy), and Jonathan (Sarah); 5 children (and their spouses): Debbie (Keith), Nan (Jerry), Gordon, Tim (Lisa), and Denise (Tim); and parents of her grandchildren who she surely counted among her children (Cindy, Bobby, Ronnie, Asia, and Michelle); 22 grandchildren (and their spouses): Ian (Shannah), Hannah, Dylan (Tiziana), Nick (Naomi), Katie (Brandon), Karlie, Christy (Paul), Todd (Laura), Zack (Heather), Zora, Eli, Stella, Haven, Akara, Sarah (Peter), Melissa (Jon), Aaron (Martia), Chris, Mark (Dorian), Rachel, and Dan; their significant others and parents of her great-grandchildren who she surely counted among her grandchildren (Mandy, Dame, Myra, Tasia, Joe, and Fiona); 24 great-grandchildren: Leif, Aurora, Makayla, Isaac, Claire, Amelia, Tyler, Jacob, Emma, Bella, Mason, Carter, Olivia, Jackson, Levi, Olivia, Charlotte, Ethan, Allie, Owen, “Baby,” Kirin, Gabi, Savannah, and Chloe.

She was preceded in death by her parents (Cledith and Minerva), her stepmother (Mildred), and her mother-in-law (Rena); 6 siblings (Carrolton, Frank, Mary Lou, David, Joe, and Cledith Jr.); her former son-in-law (Brent); 3 children, her stillborn daughter (Melissa Ruth), a precious miscarriage, and her eldest son (Frank).

It is impossible to name every special in-law, niece, nephew, grandniece or nephew, great-grandniece or nephew, and friend she gathered along her journey. The love and joy you brought her, and her love for you, is eternal.

The family will hold a Celebration of Life service at North Ridge Church in Raleigh on Saturday, February 27th at 2:00 pm, which will be live-streamed.

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