Claudia Louise Barnes Deese

Claudia Louise Barnes Deese passed away in the early hours of March 11, 2026. Born in Reidsville, North Carolina, to William Clarence and Nellie Moore Barnes, she graduated from Reidsville High School before earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1960. She later received a Master’s Degree in Public Health from UNC-Chapel Hill and devoted her career to public health nursing with the Guilford County Health Department. She later joined the faculty of the School of Nursing at UNC-Greensboro, where she taught public health nursing.

In 1968, Claudia married Gary Bennett Deese, Sr. She was a devoted wife and mother to her children, Deanne and Bennett. She found joy in traveling, spending time with family, and participating in church activities. A lifelong Tar Heel fan, she cherished the color Carolina blue. A committed follower of Jesus, she lived out her faith through her words and actions. She was a longtime member of Hayworth Wesleyan Church and the Auxiliary of The Gideons International. After her career in public health, she served as financial manager for Home Detective Company. In retirement, she treasured time with her family and grandchildren, particularly at her beloved mountain home, “The Alpine Escape” in Seven Devils, North Carolina, and during annual vacations at the Outer Banks. She had a deep love for animals, especially her dog, Jackson, and was a cherished friend to many at Harmony at Greensboro, where she had lived since 2022.

Claudia was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Bernice. She is survived by her loving husband, Gary Deese of Greensboro; her daughter, Deanne Deese Trollinger, and son-in-law, Jeff, of Winston-Salem; her son, Bennett Deese, and daughter-in-law, Kara, of High Point; grandchildren Abbie Trollinger of Winston-Salem, Sara Kent Donnalley and Matthew of Charlotte, and Chandler, Josiah, and Garrison Deese of High Point; and her sister, Beverly Barnes Haynes, and brother-in-law, Carl, of Kinston, along with their children and grandchildren.