Mildred Gillikin Piner

Mildred Piner, 94; service Dec. 28

Mildred Gillikin Piner, 94, of Williston, died Sunday, December 24, 2023, at Crystal Bluffs, 2 weeks before her 95th birthday.

She was born on January 7, 1929, to the late Guy and Carrie Gillikin. As a young woman, she worked at the shirt factory in Morehead City. In March 1952 she married Kenneth Piner and became a housewife and mother. In the early 70's, she, her husband and business partners started a business called East Carolina Nursery in Williston where she benefited from her green thumb in raising plants. The business later expanded to Plant World in Morehead City and Havelock Garden Center. After the death of her husband in 1981, the nursery passed through multiple operators under several different names but she always enjoyed spending time among the plants and flowers, befriending the employees and talking to customers over the years. The business is still operating as Edgewater Gardens and Mildred could be seen there most days as long as she was healthy enough to visit.

Her green thumb also showed in her yard. She was at her happiest digging in dirt and growing beautiful flowers. In the summer you could often see tourists who were traveling from the Cedar Island Ferry stopping to take pictures of her beautiful yard.

She loved to travel. She attended the World's Fair in New Orleans, went to Hawaii, Mackinaw Island in Michigan, New England and New York, Canada, Mexico and many other wonderful places her favorite being the Pennsylvania Amish country. Her most enjoyable times away from home were spent with her family in Virginia.

For four years, Mildred has been a resident of Crystal Bluffs. Their staff became her second family. The care and love she received there was amazing and she loved them all. Age never took away her memory and she remained sharp. Her family would give her a call when they couldn't remember a name or a fact.

She was a member of Williston Methodist Church where she attended regularly until her health would no longer allow. She loved her Lord and worshiping and fellowshipping with her family and friends. She especially loved the church dinners. She never missed her daily devotion until macular degeneration took her eyesight. Being a person who loved to laugh and have fun, she was loved by all who met her. Her daughter always commented that her friends preferred to hang out with her mother Mildred.

When she was a child her father nicknamed her Babe. The name stayed with her and she later became Granny Babe as most people knew her. Her cousin Nancy's son Mark who had no surviving grandparents became her grandson. He was the first of many to call her Granny Babe.

Those remaining to cherish her memory are her daughter Debbie Scott and husband Milton Eddie Scott; onlyremaining cousin, Nancy Davis; nephew/grandson, Mark Davis and wife Heather; niece, Marsha Murphy and Semir Badic; brother-in-law, Burgess Piner, step-grandchildren, Angela Scott and Tessie Willis; step-great grandchildren, Amanda Leffers and Brianne Willis; step-great-great grandchildren, Nick Brazelton, Makayla Brazelton, Savannah Tyndall, Kenzlee Tyndall and Parker Adkins; and many nephews and nieces who she loved dearly.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband; sister, Catherine Piner; brother, Ralph Gillikin; sister-in- law, Betty Gillikin; sister-in-law, Roma Smith and step-great-granddaughter, Chelsey Adkins.

A service will be held at 2 p.m. December 28th, at Williston Methodist Church officiated by Rev. Bob Rose with the eulogy by Rev. Rusty Willis. Burial will follow at Piner Family Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church.

Memorial donations can be made to Williston Methodist Church, PO Box 917, Williston NC 28589.

Arrangements by Munden Funeral Home and Crematory in Morehead City, NC. Family and friends are welcome to submit online condolences at www.mundenfuneralhome.net.