April 7, 2024, 81, Kenly —

Raymond “Doug” Lee Barbee, 81, passed away on Sunday, April 7, 2024, at Kitty Askins Hospice Center in Goldsboro. Born in Johnston County on September 22, 1942, he was the son of the late Lester Barbee and Lola Bass Barbee.

Doug started auto body repair work when he and his wife got married. During their courtship of eleven dating times, Janice ask Doug what was his plans for the future. She told him that they should get married, so they did and remained married for 56 years. Doug would begin helping his father-in-law on the farm after he got home from work to later do full-time farming starting in 1978. His only son, Johnny joined in as young as he could remember and the two remained doing business together for the rest of their life. They started the first freshwater shrimp farm in North Carolina raising prawns in the year 2000 for 10 years. They worked closely with N.C. State University in the development of prawns. They began doing site work in 2005 and a new business began with the name D&J for Doug and Johnny, Construction of Kenly Inc. As the business grew with a new purchase of a sandpit, they decided to change the name to D&J Sand and Gravel, Inc. of Goldsboro. Doug later began to slow down and only could help out when he could, leading up to the death of his loving wife, Janice. He did enjoy fishing and said many times he wished he would have done less work and regretted waiting until his health declined to fish more. He could fix anything and loved to invent, do welding, build, and eat three meals a day of Janice’s good cooking.

Doug loved his family so much that he was very protective of them. When his grandchildren were young, he enjoyed taking them fishing, and playing in the pool and enjoyed them staying much of their summer at his home while they were out of school. One thing is for sure, if you came to visit Doug, he was going to make sure no one would be leaving hungry or in need.

Doug is survived by his son, Johnny Barbee(Pam); step-daughter, Roxann Johnson(James); grandchildren, Taylor Harper(Brandon), Jonathan Barbee, Bert Johnson(Wendy), Roger Johnson, Christopher Johnson(Allison), Jacob Lawhon and Jordan Moody(Daniel), Aiden Jernigan; great-grandchildren, Hailey Whitley, Braden Johnson, Ava Johnson, Cash Johnson, Brooklynn Johnson, Aiden Johnson, Addie Johnson, Charlee Johnson and Preston Evans.

In addition to his parents and loving wife, Janice Rogerson Barbee, he was preceded in death by his sister, Sadie Mae Aycock; and his brothers, Woody, Rudolph, and Wilbert Ray Barbee.

A graveside service will be held on Wednesday, April 10, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. at the Kenly Cemetery with Pastor Bill Rose officiating. The family will receive friends following the service at the cemetery.

Services have been entrusted to Kenly Funeral Service. To leave an online condolence, please visit www.kenlyfs.com