Martha Janice Varney

Martha Janice Varney passed away on March 5, 2026, in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, surrounded by her family. Born on December 30, 1935, in Poplar Point Township in Martin County, North Carolina, she was the daughter of George Wiley Waters and Rachel Wynn Waters.

After graduating from Robersonville High School in 1954, Janice moved first to Portsmouth, Virginia, and later to Washington, DC, where she met her future husband, Army Specialist Donald Cyril Varney. They married on November 28, 1957, and shared 63 devoted years together. The couple lived in Illinois for several years before returning to North Carolina in 1969 to settle in Bear Grass. Following Don’s death in 2020, Janice moved to Colington to live with her daughter.

Janice found joy in needlework, gardening, and above all, spending time with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She is survived by her three children, April Varney Goodwyn (Charles) of Virginia Beach, Virginia, Daryl Martin Varney (Sherrie) of Sims, North Carolina, and Donna Varney Creef (Jerry) of Colington, North Carolina; four grandchildren, Anne, Adam, Kaylee, and Brady; four great-grandchildren, Griffin, Lillian, Boone, and Hattie Grace; her sister, Georgia McCollom (Carl) of Asheboro, North Carolina; her brother, Dalton Waters (Eliza) of Williamston, North Carolina; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Wiley Dimpsey Waters.