Obituary for Florrie Janet Schumpert Spaulding
February 15, 1937 – November 23, 2024

With deep sadness, we announce the passing of our beloved Florrie Janet Schumpert Spaulding, who with family at her bedside, peacefully left this world on November 23, 2024, at the age of 87, in Durham, NC. Janet was a cherished daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, and a pillar of the Clinton, NC community. Known for her unwavering faith, dedication to education, and musical legacy, Janet’s life was a testament to love, resilience, and service.

Janet was born on February 15, 1937, in Summerville, SC, to Eugene and Janie Mae Schumpert, educators who instilled in her a lifelong passion for learning and teaching. She graduated summa cum laude from St. Augustine’s College in Raleigh, NC, and went on to become a trailblazer in education. She was a proud charter member of the Rho Omega Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., with 69 years of service. 

Janet was a distinguished educator who made lasting contributions to her community and the lives of her students. She was named Teacher of the Year in 1978 for Clinton City Schools, and throughout her 31-year career, she served in 11 schools across Sampson County and all five schools in Clinton City Schools. Janet was also a pivotal figure in the desegregation of schools, becoming the first teacher selected to cross racial lines in her district.

Janet's passion for music was evident from an early age. She began playing the organ at the age of two, and by the time she was 10, she was already performing in church. Her musical gifts blessed everyone who knew her, and her legacy as a musician and educator will be felt for generations. Janet’s musicianship and her kindness touched the lives of countless individuals, whether she was teaching, playing the organ, or simply being a listening ear during someone’s tough times.

A lifelong Episcopalian, Janet found her spiritual home at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Clinton, where she was a faithful member and Choir Director for 50 years. She was a dedicated church organist, choir member, and active volunteer. Janet was involved in every aspect of church life, serving in the Order of the Daughters of the King, as a Lay Reader and Lay Eucharistic Minister, Youth Choir Director and a Senior Member of the Worship Committee. Her love for music was matched only by her love for her church and the people she served. In recognition of her service, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church recently installed tower chimes in the bell tower, named in her honor.

Janet was married to the late Thurston Spaulding Sr., an educator who made history as the first person of color and elected official to serve on the Clinton City Board of Education.  Together, they raised three children: Kimberly, Thurston Jr., and Stephen. After Thurston Sr. passed away in 1978, Janet became a single mother, courageously raising her children through their teenage years. Her strength, grace, and unwavering faith guided her family through difficult times, and her legacy continues to live on through them.

Her life was deeply rooted in the words of Isaiah 43:1-7, a passage she held close to her heart: “But now thus says the Lord, He who created you... Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” Janet was a shepherd, a sister, and a mother figure to so many, helping them through difficult moments, just as the passage promises, God will be there for us in times of need.

Janet’s memory will forever be a guiding star for her family and the community that loved her so much. She leaves behind three children: Dr. Kimberly Spaulding-Collins, retired Dentist, and her husband Dr. Bradley Collins, Transplant Surgeon at Duke University Medical Center; Thurston Spaulding Jr., Founder and Managing Director of DSP Wealth Strategies, and his wife Tremel Faison-Spaulding, Director of Regulatory and Quality Affairs at the Biomedical Advanced Research & Development Authority;  and Stephen Spaulding, Client HR Partner at IBM, and his wife Donna Spaulding, Director at NetApp. She is also survived by nine grandchildren: Carter Spaulding Collins, Kennedy Spaulding Collins, Tyler Davis Spaulding, Cameron Schumpert Spaulding, Brandon Faison-Lappe (Dillon Lappe), Dominic E. Harris, Sydney Rose Spaulding (Fiancé Steven Bar), Ryan Louis Spaulding, and Sophie Janet Spaulding.

In addition, Janet is survived by her four siblings: Eugene Stephenson Schumpert, Jr. (Linda), James Pratt Schumpert, Sr. (Betty), Eddie Schumpert Caldwell, and Frances Clarice Wright. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held on Friday, December 13, 2024, from 6-8 PM EST at Crumpler-Honeycutt Funeral Home, 118 Fayetteville Street, Clinton, NC. A funeral service celebrating Janet’s life will take place at 1:00 PM EST on Saturday, December 14, 2024, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 110 W Main Street, Clinton, NC. 

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations in Janet’s name be made payable to the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Memorial Fund at 110 West Main Street, Clinton, NC 28328 or the Scholarship Fund of the Rho Omega Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.  Make checks payable to Rho Omega Omega Chapter-AKA and mail to Nicole Edwards, 2008 Lake Trout Lane, Raleigh, NC 27610.

Pallbearers will include Carter Collins, Ian Schumpert, Ryan Spaulding, Cameron Spaulding, Brandon Faison-Lappe, and Dominic E. Harris.

Janet’s love for her family, her community, and her faith will live on in all who knew her. She will be deeply missed but forever cherished in the hearts of those she touched.