Esta Bradley McCrary

She died peacefully at home on Tuesday, January 26, 2016 after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.

She was the wife of William Vernon McCrary, Jr. and they would have celebrated their 45th anniversary in May 2016.

She spent her early years in Hollywood, California and attended the Westlake School for Girls. She later moved to Mobile, Alabama where she spent her formative years and always considered Mobile her childhood home. She was quick to point out to all that Mardi Gras originated in Mobile, not New Orleans. She attended Vernon Court Junior College for two years in Providence, RI, then attended the University of Alabama for two years where she was a proud member of Alpha Gamma Delta Sorority, and graduated in 1967 with a degree in Elementary Education.

Moving to Greenville in 1972, she devoted her life, in order, to her family and their homes, to friends, and to a list of civic activities too long to mention. She was a woman of strong, but generally private, faith in God. She was incredibly supportive of her husband in whatever success he had in his business, and a great deal of that success credits to her. She traveled the world with her husband both in his business and on many personal trips. In later life, she loved her tennis, then began learning and interested many friends in bridge, and of course continued focusing on her family. She was an avid fan of Alabama football and never could understand why anyone could be excited about some of the local university teams. Her husband was often heard to quote ' Esta is 70 but looks 50 and acts like she is 30'.

For sure she never met a stranger, was always at the center of attention wherever she might have been, had a loving and kind heart, and a mischievous sense of humor. It was said that 'Esta never had an unspoken thought'. For sure there were simply too many antics to tell about Esta in this short article.

Surviving, in addition to her husband, are two sons - William Vernon McCrary III, his wife Dalton, and their two children, Anna 10, and Ava 8. Also Bradley Gibson McCrary, his wife Lauren, and their two children Gibson 2, and Ellie 6 months. The grandchildren affectionately called her Essie.

Many thanks are offered to a number of physicians who supported and led Esta through the journey of pancreatic cancer for an amazingly good seven years. These are, in an order but not limited to, Dr. Earle Russell, Dr. William C. Meyers, Dr. Larry Gluck, Dr. Jim Stephenson, and the wonderful staff and friends at the GHS Cancer Center. In addition, special thanks are offered to caregivers Georgia Willis and Hazel Burr.

Friends are always invited to the home at any time prior to a Memorial Service which will be held at Christ Church Greenville at 2:00 pm on Thursday, January 28, 2016.

The family will also receive friends following the service at the church.

Private Interment will be held.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to: GHS Cancer Institute, McCrary BMT Unit, Office of Philanthropy and Partnership, 300 E. McBee Avenue, Suite 503, Greenville, South Carolina 29601; or Cancer Society of Greenville County, 113 Mills Avenue, Greenville, South Carolina 29605.