Louise Winn "Lou" McCutcheon

Louise Winn (Lou) McCutcheon, 96, of Durham, NC, passed away peacefully on October 7, 2026, at the Forest at Duke in Durham, NC.

Born on October 20, 1929, in Williamson, WV to Chloe and Philip J Winn III, Lou was brought up in Vulcan, WV and Fork Union, VA, and earned her BA in Social Work from Westhampton College of the University of Richmond. She married Dr. William Benson (Ben) McCutcheon Jr. of Durham, had three children, and embarked on a remarkable life's journey devoted to family, public service and volunteerism, that impacted every corner of her adopted hometown of Durham.

Lou sat on the Boards of Directors of the United Fund of Durham, the Volunteer Services Bureau (which she co-founded), Durham Nursery School Association (Founder), Durham Academy, Durham Day Care Council, N.C. Symphony, North Carolina Museum of Life and Science, Durham Library Foundation, Community Planning Council, Durham Mental Health Advisory Board, and the Junior League of Durham.

She served 2 terms as a Durham County Commissioner, was a Trustee of Durham Technical Community College, Chairman of the Durham County Social Services Board, President of the Greater Durham Community Foundation, and a Trustee and longtime member of Trinity Methodist Church.

She was the first woman to serve on the board of the Durham Chamber of Commerce, and first woman elected to board of First Federal Savings and Loan.

In her long service with the United Fund of Durham, Lou was a Board Member (1968-74), Vice President for Public Relations (1969), Chairman of the Individuals Division (1971), and Co-Chairman of the Professional Division (1978).

Lou McCutcheon received numerous awards for her service, including the Durham Chamber of Commerce Civic Honor Award, Civitan Club's Annual Citizen of the Year Award, the Governor's Volunteer Award for individual community leadership, North Carolina Order of the Long Leaf Pine, and the Peggy Mann Award for "extraordinary performance in the field of human services in the community." In 1982 she was named "Layperson of the Year" for the Durham District of the United Methodist Church.

Lou was an avid tennis player and a fearsome Bridge partner. In retirement, she and Ben spent many happy days, and had many adventures from the Neuse River to the Chesapeake Bay and beyond, on their sailboat the Shady Lady. She loved playing the piano, and after moving to the Forest at Duke in 2010 she often played for church services and sing alongs.

Lou McCutcheon is survived by her daughter Dr. Julia Winn McCutcheon, son William B. McCutcheon III, his wife Suzanne McCutcheon, and two grandchildren, Alexander and Philip McCutcheon. She was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, Dr. William Benson McCutcheon Jr. and her youngest son, James Kerr McCutcheon.

A memorial will be held a later date at the Forest at Duke. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Durham Library Foundation or the Triangle Community Foundation. Or just go volunteer for something.