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EDENTON – Micah Raines Simonsen, Jr., son of Micah and Hayes Bryant Simonsen, died peacefully cuddled between his parents, Wednesday, October 2, 2024, at Duke University Medical Center.

Raines was born in Chowan County on December 4, 2021. Raines’ life was filled with love and joy and he radiated it into the world. Raines would often say, “Raines smart, Raines cute, Raines happy.” He loved long walks, the park, the Cupola House Garden, the zoo, the aquarium, the beach, his lovie affectionately named “puppy”, the Edenton Trolley, and going to see the ducks at Duke Gardens. He loved dancing to the church bells ringing in Edenton, “Wheels on the Bus”, “Baby Shark”, and “Happy and you Know it”. He would make everyone around him join in for a “dance party.” He is so brave, tough as nails, and battled cancer his whole life like a warrior. Despite going through intensive treatments and challenges associated with his disease, every morning when he walked outside, he would say “It’s a beautiful day.” While molded by suffering, he practiced gratitude on a daily basis. Raines is an absolute blessing, and he always ended his prayers with “and God bless everybody, amen.” He loved trying to help others and continues to help others by his selfless donation of his eyes, brain, spine, spinal fluid and some other tissue to a tissue bank accessible to researchers around the world for children’s cancer research. He wanted to help advance medical knowledge in the hope to help save other children in the future. Raines is loved and loved “so so much.” He is remarkable, a masterpiece and a treasure.

With his parents he is survived by his sister and “best friend ever,” Margaret Reid Simonsen (whom he called “Reida”); his maternal grandparents, Mike and Beth Bryant of Ahoskie; paternal grandparents, Lars and Chamblee Simonsen of Edenton; maternal great-grandparents, Joe Gaddy Matheson of Ahoskie and Jackie Copeland of Gatesville; and paternal great-grandmother, Margaret Burch of Raleigh; and many other aunts, uncles, cousins, nurses, doctors and friends who he loved and who loved him “so so much.”

A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be held Friday, October 11th, 2024 at 2 p.m. in Edenton Baptist Church and will be conducted by The Rev. Dennis Bazemore. Friends are invited to join the family for a time of fellowship and sharing at The Herringbone Restaurant down by the waterfront park that he loved immediately following the service.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to the Ronald McDonald House of Durham, 506 Alexander Rd. Ave., Durham, NC, 27705 (Or online at rmhctriangle.org) or to The Children’s Cancer Partners of The Carolinas, 900 S. Pine St., Suite F, Spartanburg, SC, 29302 (Or online at www.childrenscancerpartners.org)

Miller & Van Essendelft Funeral Home & Crematory, 735 Virginia Road, Edenton, is assisting the family with arrangements and online condolences may be made by visiting www.millerfhc.com.