RALEIGH - Margaret Lou Tant Pace, 87, died Friday, May 1, 2009. Funeral services were Sunday, May 3, at Montlawn Funeral Home chapel, with burial following in Montlawn Memorial Park.

She was born in Franklin County, the eldest child of the late Howard and Reca Massey Tant of the Pine Ridge Community. Her career was in telephone communications. She had been a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church since its beginning in 1950.

Surviving: husband, Horace S. Pace; sons, Bob Pace and Tim Pace of Raleigh; daughters, Dianne Charter (Russ) of Sneads Ferry, Kathy Keith (Larry) of Cary; brothers, William Earl Tant (Frances) of Knightdale, Ronnie Tant (Faye) of Bunn; sisters, Carolyn Register (H.J.), Dot Bissette (John) and Frankie Smith, all of Raleigh; and four grandchildren.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by brothers, Charles H. Tant and H. Darnell Tant, and a sister, Phyllis T. Jones.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Emmanuel Baptist Church Building Fund, 2100 Noble Road, Raleigh, NC 27608.

Arrangements by Montlawn Funeral Home, 2911 S. Wilmington St., Raleigh (www.montlawn.com).