Mrs. Millicent "Millie" Gardner Crabtree

Millie was born July 26, 1923 to Ernest and Cleo Gardner. She was married for 54 years to her husband, Charles Lee Crabtree, who predeceased her in 1996.

Millie was a life-long resident of Greensboro. She lived a rich and rewarding life. She was a loving wife and a mother of three sons. She worked as a nurse at Moses Cone Hospital. She served in her church at Pleasant Garden Baptist Church in many capacities and taught Sunday School for 63 years. She especially loved spending time with her family and working in her vegetable and flower gardens.

At age 40, Millie underwent a radical mastectomy for breast cancer and thereafter entered nursing school. Upon graduation she became a volunteer for the American Cancer Society and started the "Reach for Recovery" program in Guilford County for mastectomy patients. In 1973, the Mayor of Greensboro honored Millie with the 'Volunteer of the Year' award for her work with cancer patients.

Millie is survived by three sons, Jim of Greensboro; Dean (Pam) of Columbia, SC; and Mike (Joyce) of Greensboro; a sister, Betty Parrish of Marion, NC; three grandchildren, Leslie Buckner (John); Ryan Crabtree (Margaret); and Ashley O'Neal (Tim); five great-grandchildren, Lilly Buckner, Ava Buckner, Mary Grace Weigle, Harper O'Neal and Rhys Crabtree, and several nieces and nephews.

Thanks go out from her family to the staff at Blumenthal Nursing Center and Moses Cone Hospital. Special thanks go to Carol Marshall, a great neighbor and friend; to C. A. Rumley, a great neighbor and friend, and to Joanne Schulze, whose Bible Study ministry Millie so looked forward to every week.

To her sons, Millie leaves the wisdom and words of Joshua as found in his first chapter in the Holy Bible: "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest."

Visitation will be held at Hanes Lineberry, N. Elm Chapel, on Thursday from 5:30-7:30 pm. A graveside service conducted by the Reverend Michael Barrett will be held at Lakeview Memorial Park on Friday August 24 at 11:00am.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to "Celebrate Our Future Fund", Pleasant Garden Baptist Church, 1415 Neely Rd., Pleasant Garden, NC 27313.

Online condolences may be made to www.haneslineberryfuneralhomes.com.