Bernice “Bernie” Ira Earp passed away peacefully surrounded by his family in the early hours of December 20, 2024 at the age of 73 — after showing liver cancer who was boss for 17 months!
Bernie was born and raised in Raleigh, N.C., where his family owned and ran the Suburban Market in North Raleigh, affectionately known as “The Little Store.” He began working alongside his father and brother at the store at age 8 stocking shelves. He learned the art of butchery while at the store and loved being the local neighborhood butcher. He also loved interacting with all of his customers and employees, with many becoming more like family as the years passed. He ran the store until he left to work with his brother, Charles, in 1981 in the residential lighting business with Earp & Associates.
He had a very successful 40+ year career in the lighting industry where many of his customers also became lifelong friends. Charles and Bernie worked together for over 40 years until Bernie officially retired in 2022 to spend more time with his three great loves: family, fishing and golf.
Bernie was a devoted family man and wonderful caregiver. It was one of the greatest privileges of his life to help provide care for his mother, Julia, as she aged since his father, Clarence, had passed when he was 16. He was the middle child and adored both his older brother, Charles, and younger sister, Debbie. He was blessed to come from a large family with too many cousins to count, who felt more like brothers and sisters.
The loves of Bernie’s life were his two daughters that he shared with his ex-wife, Claudia Thrift. He was a proud and caring father who was there for his girls, Jenny and Natalie, for whatever they needed and made sure he and his girls made a lifetime of great memories together. They took numerous family beach trips and loved spending time together.
Bernie’s two daughters blessed him with 7 grandchildren ranging from ages 1 to 13 — and he found a way to build a special and unique relationship with each one. He was a fun grandpa who loved to play games with the grandkids and especially enjoyed teaching them how to fish. The older grandkids affectionately referred to him as “Grumpy Grandpa,” a nickname he loved.
Bernie built an incredible family of friends over the years from his time at “The Little Store” to Earp & Associates, and especially at the various golf clubs where he played with his “regulars” on Friday, Saturday & Sundays (and often times on Thursdays, too). He was an incredibly social person and being able to spend time with people he loved while playing his favorite sport helped keep him fighting for so long. Bernie was blessed to have continued living his best life for more than a year after his terminal diagnosis. He played his last round of golf on November 10, 2024, 16 months after he was given just 8 months to live. But that was just how Bernie lived life — passionately, with everything he had and by his own rules.
He is survived by his two daughters, Jenny Helms (Brandon) of Charlotte, N.C., and Natalie Snapp (Nathan) of Clayton, N.C.; seven grandchildren Alexandra Snapp, Ridgley Helms, Brooke Helms, Sarah Kate Helms Isaiah Snapp, Asher Snapp and Hannah Banana Snapp; brother Charles Earp (Susan), two nieces Shelley Aldridge (Barron) and Angie Van Dyke (Darren), and his ex-wife and lifelong friend, Claudia Thrift, all of Raleigh, N.C. He was predeceased by his father, Clarence I. Earp, his mother, Julia T. Earp, his sister, Deborah E. Stanley and his nephew, Richard “Buddy”
Matthews and numerous other family members and friends.
Bernie left this world to be with Jesus much sooner than his friends and family would have liked, and he will forever be profoundly missed, but he left behind a legacy of love and a lifetime of memories to help sustain everyone until they are reunited with him again in Heaven.
Visitation & Funeral Arrangements
Visitation will be held Saturday, December 28, from 10:00 am to 10:45 am at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 300 Saint Mary’s Street, Raleigh. The funeral will follow at 11:00 am. Graveside services will follow the funeral at Raleigh Memorial Park, 7501 Glenwood Ave, Raleigh.
