October 10, 2025, 90, Goldsboro —

Marguerite Register Alphin, a long-time resident of Florence SC, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Friday, October 10, 2025, at the age of 90.

Marguerite was born at her grandparent’s home in Rose Hill, NC to the late Edwin Lee Register, Sr. and Mildred Brown Register of Rose Hill. She was raised attending Dobson Chapel Baptist Church in Duplin County NC. She spent her time preparing meals for her family and working in her parent’s cherished country store at Register’s Crossroads. Many community members still remember Marguerite serving cold ice cream on Sunday afternoons. 

She attended one year at East Carolina before marrying her high school sweetheart John Gilbert Alphin of Mount Olive, NC.

Marguerite spent her life as a loving wife and remarkable homemaker in addition to working in a family business in Kure Beach NC. With her capable hands and heart, she created a wonderful home and childhood for her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. 

 Being in her presence gave her husband and children a sense of stability and unquestioned love and acceptance; traits both John and Marguerite’s parents had instilled in them. Marguerite’s life portrayed the Proverbs 31 description of a wife of noble character as “her lamp did not go out at night, she spoke with wisdom, and she laughed at the days to come”.

While creating a home in Florence SC, Marguerite was a Heritage Member of Central United Methodist Church serving and supporting her church throughout her life. She taught children’s Sunday School, Methodist Youth Fellowship, was involved in Boy Scouts, and an active member in the United Methodist Women.

Preceded in death by her parents and beloved husband, Dr. John Gilbert Alphin, one of their sons, John Gilbert Alphin Jr, one of their grandsons, Clayton Moore Alexander, and her brother Edwin Lee Register Jr. of Rose Hill, Marguerite is survived by their son Gilbert Edwin Alphin and his wife Karen Rud Alphin of Kure Beach, NC; their daughter JoAnn Alphin Alexander of Florence, SC, and her daughter Callie Frances Bailey and her husband Joseph Ryan Bailey of Florence, SC and their children Nicholas Ryan Bailey, Anna Ryan Bailey, Eva Grace Bailey, and Noah Alexander Bailey; and their daughter Anita Alphin Bryan and her husband William Smith Bryan Jr. of Mount Pleasant, SC, and their son John Houston Bryan and daughter Macaulay Grace Bryan. 

Marguerite is also survived by her sister Edith Register Brinkley of Teachey NC and their sister-in-law Catherine Blanchard Register of Rose Hill NC; her in-laws Vance and Ann Alphin of Mount Olive, Audrey and Donald Lindsay of Mount Olive, Eva May and Kenneth Avent of Faison and many beloved nephews, nieces and cousins. She cherished each and every one.

Funeral services for Marguerite will be held on Wednesday, October 15, at 2:00 at the Tyndall Funeral Home in Mount Olive, NC, and will be officiated by the Rev. Wanda Simmons. Visitation will take place at Tyndall Funeral Home during the hour before the service. The graveside service for burial will follow at the Gilbert and Eva Alphin Family Cemetery on Alphin Road, Mount Olive, NC