Mabel Church

Mrs. Mabel Clarine Payne Church, age 93, of West Jefferson, NC, died on Saturday, June 4, 2011 at the Hill View Family Care Home in Todd, NC. A private family funeral service will be held at Ashelawn Memorial Chapel with Rev. Herbert Parunak officiating. Burial will follow in Ashelawn Memorial Gardens. Mabel was born on February 10, 1918 in Ashe County, NC to the late George Walton and Martha Melissa Church Payne. She was a wife, mother of six, and a homemaker for many years, and later worked in hospitals in Texas, Sparta, and Jefferson as a nursing assistant. She liked to travel, and spent some time living in Japan with her daughter and son-in-law after retirement. She was proud of her children and grandchildren, and enjoyed attending church services, gardening, cooking and making and giving away quilts. She will be remembered as always humming a tune as she did her ordinary, routine chores. She was gently cared for in her final five and one half years by the staff at Hill View Family Care Home. She was preceded in death by all brothers and sisters. She is survived by three sons: Bill Church and wife Linda of West Jefferson, NC, Dr. Clay Church and wife Melonie of West Jefferson, NC, and Don Church and wife Theresa of Fleetwood, NC; three daughters: Barbara Hester and husband Richard of Greenville, Texas, Maxine Church and husband Bobby of Ferguson, NC, Irene McNeil and husband Clark of West Jefferson, NC. Also surviving are seventeen grandchildren, twenty seven great-grandchildren, six great great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in her memory to a charity of the donor's choice. You may send and view condolences to the family through our website www.ashelawn.com. Ashelawn Memorial Chapel & Gardens was entrusted with Mrs. Church's arrangements.