Vera M. Crosby

Vera “NaNa” McMahon Crosby, 87, passed away on January 2, 2012, surrounded by family after a short illness. She was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. She has been a resident of Garden City for over 59 years. She is now with the Lord, her Savior and James in heaven which was her desire.

Vera was a volunteer for Garden City Elementary School from 2000-2005. She and James loved to be volunteer Bell Ringers for The Salvation Army from 1990 until around 1997 when Kroger was in Garden City. Vera served as an officer for the first women’s group for the Garden City Fire Department, a Life Member of the Loyal Order of the Moose Post 1550, a member of the Veterans of Foreign War and former member of the American Legion. She was a member of The Salvation Army Home League ministry and was a Soldier (member) of The Salvation Army since 1991. She taught Sunday school at Morningside Baptist Church, Garden City United Methodist Church and The Salvation Army. She received numerous volunteer awards through the Red Cross blood mobile and Senior Citizens’ RSVP and The Salvation Army. Her final church attendance was at Port Wentworth United Methodist Church for the last five years.

For the past year she has resided at Westview Nursing Home, in Port Wentworth, where she was crowned Queen at the facility Nursing Home Pageant for 2011 and went on to place first runner up at the state level Nursing Home pageant. She was proud of her making the pageantry circuit so late in her life. She loved telling every one of her accomplishments. The staff at Westview were always compassionate towards her and she enjoyed teaching “Arts by Vera” while residing there. She liked to speak to the residents that couldn’t get around as well as her. She loved to share her smile with others around her.

She is preceded in death by her husband, James Crosby Sr., her father, Thomas McMahon and her mother, Ruth McMahon, her sisters, Bessie Jacobsen and Ruby Yenkala.

She leaves behind the following to cherish her memory: Son James “Jimmy” Crosby, Jr., (Darla), daughters, Eileen Atkinson, Dianne Conway (Bob), Christi Wilcox (Wayne). Several Grandchildren: John Paul Atkinson, Cecilia Crosby Blackmon, Jimmy Crosby III, Jason Crosby, Alison Conway Means, Kathaleen Conway DelaTorre, and John Wayne Wilcox. Several Great-Grandchildren: Cody Conway, Lacy Conway, Sean Phipps, Liyah DelaTorre, Christopher Means, and Khloe Blackmon. She is survived by one sister, Alma Brashears of North Carolina.

Memorial contributions may be made to Garden City Fire Department at 160 Main Street Garden City, GA 31408 or The Salvation Army at P.O. Box 23798 Savannah, GA 31403.

Visitation: Sunday, January 8, 2012, from 4-6 PM at the Fairhaven Funeral Home & Crematory.

Funeral Service: Monday, January 9, 2012, at 11:00 AM at the Fairhaven Chapel.

Interment: Hillcrest Abbey West Cemetery.

Fairhaven Funeral Home & Crematory

Garden City, GA

912-964-2862