Neta Lee Hill Narron Godwin

Neta Lee Hill Narron Godwin's life was a testament to resilience, a journey marked by love, loss, and the unwavering spirit of a woman deeply rooted in her North Carolina community. From a large family, she navigated personal tragedies and societal expectations, building a family and leaving a lasting imprint on those who knew her.

Early Life and Family Roots

Neta Lee Hill was born on September 24, 1921, in Beulah Township. Dr. J.C. Grady delivered her at 8 a.m. in Johnston County. She is the oldest child of Preston and Pearl Edwards Hill. Pearl was 18 when she had Neta.

Neta came from a large family, though two of her parents' six children sadly died at birth. She grew up alongside her surviving siblings: George Leon Hill (1923-1985), George Preston Hill Jr. (1926-1988), and Billy Preston Hill (1929-1987).

Growing up, Neta was known for her striking resemblance to her father, Preston, with her coal black hair, blue eyes, and a peaches and cream complexion. She learned the value of hard work from an early age, a trait that would define her life. Neta left school to begin her working career at a 5 & 10 cents store in Wilson.

Early Motherhood and Profound Loss

When Neta was 17, she welcomed her first child, Devan, with Alvin Vernon Boykin Jr. Devan was born on March 10, 1939, in Beulah Township.

Tragically, Devan's life was cut short when he died of influenza and pneumonia on February 5, 1940, in Wilson, at just 10 months and 25 days old. He was laid to rest in Bethany Baptist Church Cemetery in Kenly. In the wake of this traumatic loss, Alvin Boykin left Neta and quickly married Madeline Edell Watson on Nov. 3, 1940.

Marriage to Norman Narron and Building a Family

Amidst this period, Neta's thoughts turned to Norman Marion Narron, a man she had known since childhood. Norman, a widower and a deputy sheriff in Johnston County, had a young son and was well-known throughout the area for his community presence. He had been born on October 10, 1898, in Johnston County, and his first wife, Betty, had passed away on September 25, 1945, in Wilson.

Neta and Norman began dating and, despite a significant age difference of 23 years that surprised many, they married on December 22, 1945, in Norfolk, Virginia. Prior to their marriage, Neta and Norman had already begun their family, welcoming their daughter Pat in 1942, followed by their son Dan in 1944. Norman also worked as a farmer.

Norman passed away at the age of 57 on May 18, 1956, at Woodard Herring Hospital in Wilson, North Carolina, due to hypertensive cerebral vascular disease and renal tuberculosis. He was buried in the Narron Family Cemetery in Middlesex, Nash, North Carolina.

Second Marriage and Continued Motherhood

Just a few months after Norman's passing, Neta married William Vester Godwin on August 24, 1956, in South Carolina. William was born on October 1, 1923, in Johnston County. Together, Neta and William had a daughter, Sharon Aneta Godwin, born in 1958.

Tragic Losses of 1972

The year 1972 brought immense heartbreak for Neta and her family. Her only son, Dan E. Narron, born June 6, 1944, died on April 14, 1972, following a severe work accident where he was caught in a sand pit collapse in Herford County. He was rushed to Roanoke Chowan Hospital in Ahoskie, NC, but tragically succumbed to his injuries and was also laid to rest in the Narron Family Cemetery.

Just months later, on December 13, 1972, Neta's own life was tragically cut short. She died from a head injury sustained in a head-on automobile collision on Highway 52 and was pronounced dead at Northern Surry Hospital in Mount Airy, Surry, North Carolina. Neta Lee Hill Narron Godwin is buried beside her family in the Narron Family Cemetery.

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