Nellie Wilson Cannon Garner

Nellie Cannon Garner, 98, of Newport, passed away peacefully at her home on January 24, 2018. Her daughter, Shelia, was at her side.

Her funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at Munden Funeral Home in Morehead City, officiated by Pastor Mitchell Parker. Interment will follow at Gethsemane Memorial Park.

Long before it was the talk of popular culture, “Miss Nellie” was a strong, independent woman. Widowed early in her marriage to Roy Thomas Garner, she quietly made her way through life as a mother, as a business woman, and as a giving person to her family and to her community.

Nellie was born on March 9, 1919, in Newport, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Curtis Thomas Cannon. Following her graduation from Newport High School in 1937, she entered King’s Business College in Raleigh where she studied business administration. Her long career started with Hill’s Hardware and Bell’s Funeral Home in Newport. For seven years, she worked for Dr. Ben F. Royal, in Morehead City; then, for the Newport Post Office. From 1949 – 1966, she served as secretary-treasurer of Newport Tractor Equipment Co., Inc. She was the owner-operator of Newport Insurance Agency from 1960-1972, having been a licensed insurance agent since 1949. She expanded her business to include income tax services; she continued to work for many more years in the field of accounting and insurance.

Nellie was a former member of the Board of Directors of Carteret Craven Electric Cooperative and Carteret General Hospital. She was also a former member of the Board of Director’s of First Citizen Bank, Newport; chaired the Newport Bicentennial Group; and held active offices in several other businesses and community organizations. She was a charter member of Holly Springs Free Will Baptist Church.

Nellie was always ready to invite family and friends in for food and conversation and celebrating life. She will be missed.

She is survived by her daughter, Shelia Garner Link and husband, Ken of Newport; grandchildren, John Link, Linda Floyd and husband, Tim; and great-grandchildren, Lauren Floyd and Chris Floyd.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Roy Thomas Garner and parents, Curt and Elizabeth Cannon.

Family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Friday, January 26, 2018 Munden Funeral Home in Morehead City.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to Newport Consolidated School Alumni Association at P O Box 593, Newport, NC 28570, or Holly Springs Free Will Baptist Church at 850 Nine Ft. Rd., Newport, NC 28570 or a charity of your choice.

Online condolences may be made at www.mundenfuneralhome.net

Arrangements are by Munden Funeral Home and Crematory, Morehead City, NC.