Nettie Faire Lassiter

Nettie Faire Lassiter passed away peacefully on July 25, 2025, after a brief illness due to complications from leukemia. She was surrounded by family and friends at UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill, NC.

Born in Pensacola, FL, and raised in Edenton, NC, Nettie was the daughter of Harry V. Lassiter and Marginette Furlough Lassiter. She grew up among a large, loving extended family and held deep pride in her heritage, dedicating years to tracing her family history.

Nettie was a force of nature—strong, passionate, and fiercely committed to justice and community. She moved to Orange County in 1974, settling in the ELG community near Efland with her then husband and young daughter, Tracie. From her earliest years in the county, she made her voice heard—fighting against the Cane Creek Dam project in the 1970s and '80s, opposing the Shearon Harris nuclear plant, and taking part in numerous rallies and demonstrations over the decades. From her early activism defending Lt. William Calley during the Vietnam War to later efforts for global causes like supporting Ukraine, her work was always in pursuit of peace, justice, and equality.

Nettie’s long and varied career in nursing reflected her deep belief in service and connection. She graduated from the Louise Obici School of Nursing in 1964 and went on to work in a wide range of nursing roles—including operating room, home health, and teaching. No matter the setting, her priority was always building relationships—with patients, colleagues, students, and the broader community. She maintained close ties with her high school and nursing school classmates and extended those connections to new friends wherever life took her.

A woman of vision and boundless energy, Nettie had a rare gift for organizing people and projects. She could wake up with an idea—be it building a house or cleaning the hummingbird feeder—and have a team assembled before breakfast. Her daily motto might well have been, “I think we need to…”

Nettie's creativity took many forms. She was a founding member and leader of the Cane Creek Cloggers, sharing her passion for dance—clogging, swing, jitterbug, line dancing, and more. She sang, played music, designed and built homes, made quilts and pottery, and bedazzled denim jackets.

She found peace in nature—birdwatching, paddling canoes, chasing wildflowers, and especially exploring marshes and estuaries near the coast. For Nettie, the beach was not about sand and sun, but about the hidden beauty of its ecosystems and sunsets. She was also an avid gardener, and especially loved cultivating her “Three Sisters” garden, a traditional Native American planting style that interweaves corn, pole beans, and squash in a beautiful and symbiotic design.

In 1981, she met Jamey Tippens, who became her devoted partner in love and in projects for the next 44 years. They married in 1988 and remained inseparable.

Nettie is survived by her beloved daughter, Tracie; her sister, Carroll Lassiter (Spencer Mace); her brother, Harry Lassiter, Jr. (Elizabeth Becker); her niece, Maya Lassiter, and Maya’s children, Sophie Joy and Lia; her nephew, Noah Mace (Caroline Hansley) and their children, Herbert Fisher Mace and Flora Kazimi Mace; and her husband and constant companion, Jamey Tippens. She will also be remembered with great love by Jamey's family.

Nettie leaves behind a legacy of action, art, compassion, and conviction. Her spirit lives on in the lives she touched and the world she worked tirelessly to make better.

In lieu of gifts, please consider a donation to one of Nettie's favorite organizations, which include ACLU, NRDC, and the Food Bank of Central and Eastern NC.

A celebration of Nettie’s life will be held on Sunday, September 14, from 2 – 5 PM, at the Orange Grove Community Building, also known as the Cane Creek Baptist Church Activity Center, at 6716 Orange Grove Rd, Hillsborough, NC