Arveta "Ace" Cynthia Echerd Millsaps

As the dogwoods reached their full glory, Arveta Cynthia Echerd "Ace" Millsaps completed her journey on this earth. Born among the foothills of Taylorsville, North Carolina on August 17, 1928, Ace lived out a life marked by a sharp wit, practical ingenuity and a love for life’s simple pleasures.

It was in Alexander Co. that she met her husband of 63 years, “Red”, who preceded her in death in 2014. Their family-life in Charlotte was enriched by the loving community of St. John’s Baptist Church finding life-long friendships that endured for decades.

Ace's hands were never idle. She knew the pleasure of hard work and found joy in simple pleasures like her flowers, sewing, or a cold marble slab upon which you could pull mints on a winter night. Those who knew her treasured the gifts that flowed from her kitchen—pound cakes, damson preserves that captured summer's tart essence, and her legendary fruit cake, a seasonal delight that converted even the most skeptical into believers.

After graduating from Lees-McRae College, Ace built a life of service. She worked at the Bradford Clinic and then as church secretary at St. John's Baptist Church. She also served as a volunteer with Presbyterian Hospital and Mecklenburg Co.’s Electoral Precinct #59. Ace enjoyed all holidays, knowing how to make each one festive. She treasured time with her grandchildren at North Myrtle Beach and Blowing Rock. Her eyes would sparkle with delight as she watched young hands collect seashells and fall leaves, passing down her reverence for all things wild.

Since 2013, Ace flourished among caring and meaningful friendships at Springmoor Life Care Center. There, she continued to cultivate beauty through her beloved gardening including her almost mystical knack for growing tomatoes. Neighbors could mark the seasons by her appearance at their door, arms laden with the red bounty. Her culinary offerings were more than mere food; they were expressions of love, wrapped in tradition and offered with generous spirit. She could keep a poinsettia alive until the following Advent. At Springmoor, the Sunday School Class friends of First Baptist Church nurtured her faith and the dining staff knew well her love for ice cream, especially mint chocolate chip.

Ace was preceded in death by her parents Sam and Cora Echerd; Don, her husband, who passed away in December 2014; and her sisters, Thelma Mendenhall, Marie Atwood, Helen Smyre, and Kathleen Harrill. She was also predeceased by her granddaughter, Jillian Latocki.

She is survived by her children Cindy (Larry) Millsaps-Latocki of San Diego, CA; Chuck (Kimberly) Millsaps of Raleigh, NC; grandchildren; John (Chasta) Sarah (Bruno) Peter (Madison) and great-grandson Sebastian Millsaps of Raleigh, NC.

Her life is a legacy of quiet service, unwavering faith, and the countless lives she touched with her genuine goodness. In gardens tended, in recipes shared, in kind words spoken, her spirit endures—a testament to a life well lived. The world is diminished by her absence, yet immeasurably enriched by her having been here.

The family extends gratitude to the dedicated staff of Springmoor Life Care Community and The Stewart Health Center, whose daily skilled care and genuine compassion supported both Ace and her family. Special appreciation is also offered to the caregivers on the eighth floor of the Rex Heart and Vascular Center and Transitions LifeCare whose expertise was matched by their tenderness during her final days.

A memorial service and reception in celebration of Ace’s life will be held at 11am on Friday, May 9, 2025 at Springmoor LifeCare Center Auditorium, 1500 Sawmill Road, Raleigh, NC.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests gifts to the Springmoor Endowment Fund, 1500 Sawmill Road, Raleigh, NC, or First Baptist Church, 99 North Salisbury Street, Raleigh, NC 27603.

Brown-Wynne, 300 Saint Mary's Street, Raleigh is serving the Millsaps family.