Preyer was active as a lieutenant in her husband's congressional campaigns, as a homemaker, and as a proponent of culture and education in her community. Last year, she received the North Carolina Award in Public Service, the state's highest honor, in recognition for her leadership and philanthropy in Greensboro.

Preyer is survived by her husband, two sons, three daughters and 11 grandchildren. Preyer attended the Woman's College, which later became the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and the University of Virginia.

During World War II she worked with the Red Cross in Australia and the Philippines. After her return home in 1945, she taught at Greensboro Senior High School, which later became Grimsley High School, and in Charlotte. She also worked briefly in New York as a proofreader for The New Yorker magazine.

During her life, Preyer served or was chairwoman on the boards of dozens of nonprofit and charitable organizations. At the time of her death, she served on the boards of Guilford Battleground Co., the Shepherd Center, the N.C. Nature Conservancy and the N.C. Zoological Society.

Winston-Salem Journal (NC) - Tuesday, December 14, 1999

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Emily Irving Harris Preyer was born in Reidsville, NC in 1919 and grew up in Greensboro. She attended the Woman's College (WC) of the University of North Carolina (now UNC Greensboro) and double majored in English and French. Preyer was president of the Student Government Association, and in many other clubs like Le Circle Francais, Clogging Club, Young Democrats Club, College Judicial Board, and the Carolinian Business Staff. Preyer was also a participant in various sports such as tennis and basketball, but these are just a few of her many activities before graduating in 1939.

In 1943, Preyer joined the American Red Cross. She chose the Red Cross over the Navy WAVES or the Army WAC because the training time was only two weeks. She was stationed in Perth and Brisbane, Australia and Subic Bay, Philippines. While not nurses Preyer commented that she and her group, nicknamed the "Swan Dive," did whatever they could for the soldiers from wrapping bandages to simply comforting them.

In 1945 Preyer returned to the United States. She married and had two children but never stopped working with the Greensboro Chapter of the American Red Cross while also serving the Triad Community in various ways. In 1998, she was awarded the North Carolina Award in Public Service, the state's highest honor, in recognition for her leadership and philanthropy in Greensboro. Emily Irving Harris Preyer passed away in December 1999.

-- UNCG Special Collections & University Archives