Elizabeth Gertrude Pekrul of Raleigh, NC passed away on November 3, 2014 at the age of 79.

She grew up in Plainville CT and spent time as a child on her grandparent’s farm in Terryville, CT. Elizabeth was the first in her family to attend college and received her Bachelor’s degree in Business from Bryant College in Providence RI (now Bryant University).

She was blessed with a green thumb and had the ability to make any flowering plant grow and thrive. Elizabeth started plants from seeds and from cuttings. Indoor gardenias and African violets were her specialty. Each of the gardenia plants she has raised are descendants of her Grandfather's original plant that was started from a cutting from her aunt's corsage.

She worked in the accounting and bookkeeping fields for large firms like General Electric after college and later at other small businesses while raising her family. She moved to North Carolina from Connecticut in 1996 to be closer to her children and first grandchild. Known as Liz or Betty, Elizabeth also enjoyed cooking and baking and hosting family gatherings in her home.

After moving to Raleigh, NC she served as the Office Manager of Redeemer Presbyterian Church before retiring. She was a member of Hope Lutheran Church in Wake Forest, NC. In the recent years when her health prevented her from attending services she enjoyed listening to the Lutheran Hour on the radio in her home.

Elizabeth was a two-time survivor of breast cancer.

She also shared her life with a number of pet cats throughout the years. She will be greatly missed by Velvet, her cat.

Elizabeth is survived by her husband of fifty-four years, Raymond G. Pekrul, of Raleigh; children and their spouses Lauren Pekrul Ingall and Alan Ingall, Brian Pekrul and Leslie Dixon Pekrul, both of Raleigh; grandchildren Corrie Ingall, Dinah Ingall, Russell Ingall, and Rachel Pekrul; her sister and brother-in-law Ruth and Jim Decker of Avon, CT.

A visitation will be held on Saturday November 8 from 11 am to 12 noon at Renaissance Funeral home in Raleigh, followed by a Funeral Service at 12 noon and internment at Brier Creek Memorial Gardens.

Donations can be made in her memory to The Lutheran Hour (http://www.lhmgift.org/default.asp), The Deacon's Mercy Fund at Redeemer Presbyterian Church of Raleigh (http://www.redeemerpca.net), or the charity of your choice.

Condolences: rfhr.com