It is with deep sadness that we announce the transition of Wanda age 70, who went home to be with the Lord while holding both of her children’s hands in the early morning hours of July 3, 2025. She passed away from an illness, under hospice care while at Novant Health Kernersville Medical Center.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.  Services have been postponed by the family.

Born October 7, 1954 in High Point, NC to Odell Mc Kinley Welborn and Hazel Belle Royall. Wanda lived a life rooted in faith, love, and service to others. A devoted mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, she touched the lives of all who knew her with kindness, strength, and grace.

Wanda is survived by: her daughter Deborah Leigh Caires and her spouse Mark Caires and their children, Joseph, Matthew, and a baby girl on the way; Wanda’s son, Michael Buster Roscoe and his spouse Lauren Robertson and their daughter Lyla; Wanda’s sister, Jeanette Almond, brother -in-law, Gary Almond, and sister-in-law Nancy Welborn. Wanda is preceded in death by her siblings, Frankie Langston, Johnny Welborn, and James Welborn.

She earned an Associate’s Degree in Accounting at Forsyth Technical Community College and was inherently good with numbers, working her way up to serving as financial controller for two multimillion-dollar corporations. She was also very involved in human resources, always supporting employees both personally and professionally. She never turned a blind eye to another person’s suffering.

During Wanda’s younger years, she enjoyed working as a florist and as a server in area restaurants and at one point worked three jobs at the same time. Her determination and endurance radiated through her life-long stellar work ethic.

Wanda was a woman of warmth, generosity, and deep compassion. She lived her life with a giving heart always putting others before herself, she spent her life in service to others, including volunteering as a Girl Scout leader. Her kindness and smile touched everyone who had the privilege of knowing her.

Wanda found beauty in life’s simple pleasures, some of her favorite hobbies were gardening, art galleries, craft projects, yard sales, oil painting, wood burning, trying new recipes, birds, photography, mosaics, nature, decorating anything, and cooking for anyone who was hungry, as she would say, “a good home cooked meal.”

She nurtured her plants with the same love and care she gave her family; her hands were often busy with activities that reflected her creativity and love of detail. Her fun and playful spirit which surprised and delighted many especially her grandchildren, revealed through games of hide and seek, water hose fun, playing chess, dancing, and singing together.

Wanda’s absence leaves a painful void in our hearts, but memories of her kind eyes, laughter, and positive energy will always remain with us. In lieu of bouquets, in honor of Wanda’s love for gardening, consider giving loved ones a living plant to remember her by. Plants would be sent or taken to Pierce Jefferson Funeral Home, 213 W. Mountain St., Kernersville, NC before August 23rd. Or a small donation in her memory to Next Step Ministries a local organization that Wanda felt very passionately about, which dedicated their mission towards empowering young women against domestic violence.

She will always be deeply missed and forever loved.