Rebecca Lail

Rebecca "Becky" Lail, 85, of Morehead City, passed away on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at Carolina East Medical Center in New Bern.

A celebration and remembrance will be held at First Methodist Church in Morehead City on Wednesday, September 16th at 11 a.m. A private burial will follow.

Becky was born in Cumberland County and grew up in Clinton, graduating from Clinton High School. She then graduated from Campbell University with a degree in Business and then began a distinguished career as an educator. It was while teaching at South Mecklenburg High School in Charlotte where she met Harold. After marriage, he changed careers and his bank jobs took the couple from Charlotte to Statesville (where Jennifer and “Little Harold” were born), Jacksonville (where Matt was born), Kinston, back to Jacksonville, Dunn and, finally, to Henderson before they both retired. All along the way, Becky kept busy teaching in Iredell, Lenoir, Harnett and Vance counties. (She took a pause to raise her children, but still found time to run a furniture shop.) In 1997, she was named Dunn Middle School Teacher of the Year. She was also an active member of Delta Kappa Gamma educational sorority and began something of a second career as a librarian in Beaufort and in Pine Knoll Shores following her retirement from teaching.

Early in their life together, Becky and Harold discovered the Crystal Coast together, starting in Salter Path. Their more than four decades love of the area led to retirement in Pine Knoll Shores. After 19 years there, they made the move to Morehead City –nearer to their First Methodist Church community. Even as Harold’s faculties waned, Becky stayed strong, resilient and as cheerful as ever. It must also be said that her extremely closeknit and loyal friends buoyed her all along the way. And for that, her family will for always be grateful. Becky was very loyal to her “3 Bs” – Bible study, Bridge and books. (Oh, so many books!) Many of her closest friends overlapped all three. (She also enjoyed starting her day with a Pepsi – she was never much of a coffee drinker.)

As a grandmother and great grandmother, she was devoted to her family. This included trips to New York with her granddaughters, playing marathon Rummy games with her grandson, and lovingly getting to know her great grandson. She also enjoyed spoiling them, whether that meant shopping excursions around town, enjoying high tea, or allowing them to get Shirley Temples at dinner.

In her last years, Becky shared her experiences as a caregiver with others, starting Hands At Home at First Methodist and serving as Chairperson of the Ladies Grief Support Group. First Methodist was a source of pride, love and support for her. She was a member of the Tuesday Bible Study and Communion Group, she served on the Staff Parish Relations Committee, and was a member of the Church Book Club. She was also very fond of the trips she and her friends in Waverunners made all over the state – and beyond. Her consideration of others was evident even to the end. When she found out she was to have surgery at 7 pm one evening, she asked her children, “does that work for you?”

She is survived by her daughter, Jennifer Medlin (Jeff) of New Bern; son, Matt Lail (Charity) of Raleigh; five grandchildren: Meredith Hardeman (Ross) of New Bern, Allyson Medlin of New Bern, and Siena, Britain and Roman Lail of Raleigh; a great grandson, James Hardeman, of New Bern; a sister, Kay Kelly (Jim) of Roanoke, Virginia; along with a niece, nephews, and cousins. She is also survived by dozens of friends who loved her, hundreds of students who learned from her, and countless others who benefited from her generosity.

She was preceded in death by her husband Harold Hugh Lail; a son, Harold Hugh Lail Jr.; her parents, William Madison Johnson Jr. and Ida Lewis Johnson; and a brother, William Madison Johnson III.

The family is grateful to the staff of several health care facilities for their care and efforts: Carteret Health, PruittHealth Crystal Coast, Home Instead, and CarolinaEast Medical in New Bern– not to mention her Brandywine neighbors who looked in on her on a regular basis. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations in her memory be made to Hands At Home at First Methodist Church, which matches a church member with another member homebound or in assisted living facility with faith sharing, friendship and support.

Condolences and life tributes may be sent to the family at www.noebrooks.net

Arrangements by Noe-Brooks Funeral Home & Crematory of Morehead City, NC.