Kimberly McFerrin Fackler

Kimberly Ann (McFerrin) Fackler was born in Wilmington, North Carolina on March 4, 1966 to James and Glenda (Kay) McFerrin. As her father was in the military, she moved around the world as a child, living in North Carolina, Okinawa, Japan, Utah, Florida, Oklahoma, Germany as a teen. This had a profound effect on her view of the world; exposure to various people and cultures expanded her horizons, knowledge, and boundaries. But Kim’s character was also shaped by her parents, who provided a loving environment, and her own moral compass, which was unwaveringly accepting of all who did their best and acted with empathy.

As an introvert, Kim did not have a lot of friends, but she did have a lot of deep relationships. She loved deeply and was an ideal person to have as a friend. She met her husband, Neil, and married him the next year. She also shaped her son’s life in a positive direction and inculcated in him a sense of justice and morality.

Kim had numerous, severe health issues and handled them with a sense of peace, patience and grace, and did not bemoan her fate. She had a love of life which seemed impossible given her challenges and inspired those around her, up until the end. Even as her quality of life diminished, she stayed the same good person she always had been.

Kim loved animals and enjoyed her pets immensely and provided them with endless love. She was horrified by injustice and abusive or neglectful behavior and helped many children as a special education teacher, a role where she was beloved by her students and cherished by her colleagues. Maybe the best description of her was that she lived well, loved deeply, and inspired others to be their best selves.

Kim leaves behind to cherish her memory her loving husband, Neil Fackler; her son, Colin Fackler; her sister, Jamie McFerrin; aunts, Sarah Melvin and Alice Lou Gooden; her uncle, Mackie Gooden and his wife Alice; and a whole host of cousins, extended family and friends.

The community will gather to honor her memory with a visitation at Bladen-Gaskins Funeral Home & Cremation Services in Elizabethtown, North Carolina. This will take place on Saturday, December 13, 2025, from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM. A graveside service will be held in the Clarkton Cemetery in Clarkton, North Carolina, on Sunday, December 14, 2025, at 2:00 PM, with the Rev. Barrett Ingram officiating.

In lieu of flowers the family has provided a list of charities which you can make a memorial contribution to, Kim's memory.

https://www.adoptanangel.net/ (Kim loved animals)

https://www.alz.org/nc (Kim’s family is affected by Alzheimer’s)

https://www.coastalwomensshelter.org/services (Kim had empathy for families with issues of domestic violence)

https://researchautism.org/ (Kim’s family is affected by autism)

https://lungcancerinitiative.org/about-lci/ (Kim’s parents were both affected by lung cancer)