Ouida H. Spillman

Ouida Spillman, 92, of Greensboro, died Saturday, August 5, 2023 at Beacon Place, a hospice care facility in Greensboro. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, August 9, 2023 at 11 a.m. in the Lineberry Center of Hanes Lineberry Funeral Home on Elm Street in Greensboro. Interment services will follow at Parklawn Memorial Gardens in Winston-Salem, NC.

Ouida was born in Anniston, AL, grew up in multiple locations in the southeast, attended high school in North Charleston, SC and completed one year of business study at Winthrop College in South Carolina. As an adult she settled in Charlotte, NC, where she became active at First Methodist Church, singing in the choir. It was in church where she met John Spillman. They were married in the same church in 1950. John completed divinity school and became a Methodist minister. He then served in the Western North Carolina Conference until he retired.

Ouida and John’s marriage lasted 63 years until John’s passing in 2013. Ouida was a loving and devoted mother to four children. She gracefully accepted the frequent family moves which were normal for Methodist ministers’ families during that period. She helped support the family, reestablishing herself in each new location, performing the duties of secretary and executive secretary, mostly for larger companies including Duke Power, Celanese, and Integon, where she retired.

Ouida served the church in several ways over the years: as youth leader, young adult teacher, meal coordinator for retreats, choir member, church library co-creator/director during its formation and as an active member of one of the women’s service groups at each church. Ouida served for years as a water aerobics instructor for the local YMCA.

Ouida will be remembered by family and friends for her loving nature and her willingness to laugh. She loved when it was difficult to love, always appreciating the positive side of people and situations. She lived in the light. She studied and prayed with great discipline until she lost her sight. She remained close to her Savior, trusting Him especially throughout her difficult final years. She was greatly loved and will be greatly missed.

Ouida is survived by two daughters, Karen Leigh Elledge (husband Johnnie) and Lori Ellen Spillman (partner Vance Holmes) and by her two sons, Stephen Lawrence Spillman, and John Mark Spillman (wife Angelina). Also surviving are 4 grandchildren, and 5 great grandchildren.

The family will receive friends before the service on Wednesday, August 9, 2023 at 10:30 at Hanes Lineberry, 515 N Elm Street, Greensboro NC.

The family requests that any gifts be directed to the general fund of St. John’s United Methodist Church on Merritt Drive in Greensboro.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.haneslineberryfhnorthelm.com for the Spillman family.