Mattie Lou Uzzle

Click here to view the Livestream service. Mattie Lou Uzzle, 79, died peacefully at home surrounded by her loving family on November 18, 2020 after a courageous battle with cancer. A Durham native, Lou was the daughter of the late Dalma Wilson Uzzle and Margaret Lipscomb Uzzle Mims. Lou graduated from St. Catherine’s School in Richmond, Virginia in 1959. She graduated from Saint Mary's College in Raleigh in 1961 and UNC-Chapel Hill in 1963, where she was a member of Chi Omega sorority. With a French degree, Lou taught school for several years. A flair for interior design led her to a position with Brewer Interiors in Rocky Mount. Later, Lou worked in the office at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Durham. Lou lived in Weldon and Wilson, eventually returning to her roots in Durham. Atlantic Beach held a special place in her heart where she spent many happy days and summers playing cards with the Coral Bay Canasta Girls. Lou was a member of St. Philip’s Episcopal Church. She was also a member of the Samuel Johnston Chapter of the DAR in Raleigh, the Town & Country Garden Club in Durham, the Canterbury Book Club and the Coral Bay Club. She was a lifetime member of the Mims Charitable Foundation, supporting the needs of Rocky Mount and areas of eastern North Carolina. Quoting a friend, “A bona fide southern lady, Lou was an original. Her striking appearance, charm and big personality was endearing to those who loved her and the people she met. Lou spoke candidly with spunk, quick wit, and hilarious humor. She had exquisite taste and a keen sense of fashion and design. Lou was attentive to people in need and quietly generous. Above all, Lou delighted in being a grandmother to her three grandchildren.” Surviving are her son, William Ransom Johnston, Jr. and his wife, Joan, of Raleigh; her grandchildren, William Ransom Johnston III, and twins, Margaret Ivy Johnston and Martha Luck Johnston; a sister-in-law, Patricia Uzzle of Atlanta; and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her brothers, Dalma “Dan” Uzzle and Granville “Gran” Uzzle. Lou’s family extends gracious thanks to her caregivers Margaret Lee, Scott and Terry Breedlove, Sandra Wilkins, Crystal Bishop, and the many others on their miraculous team. A graveside service and burial will be held on the Uzzle family plot in Maplewood Cemetery in Durham at 2 o’clock in the afternoon on Monday, November 23, 2020. Memorial contributions may be made to: Mims Charitable Foundation, c/o Franklin Street Partners, 1450 Raleigh Rd., Suite 300, Chapel Hill, 27517; Saint Mary’s School, 900 Hillsborough St., Raleigh, 27603; or St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, 403 E. Main St., Durham, 27701. The Uzzle family is under the care of Hall-Wynne Funeral Service.