Essie Michaels Epley

Essie Michaels Epley, 92, of Morganton, NC died Thursday, January 8, 2015 at College Pines Nursing Home. Born in Burke County on December 16, 1922, she was the daughter of the late Oscar A. Michaels and Florence E. Buff Michaels. For many years she was a member of Riverside Baptist Church and of Faith Missionary Baptist Church. Essie was employed at Wamsutta and was a retired dietician of Western Carolina Center. She was an avid vegetable and flower gardener and an accomplished seamstress and quilter.
In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her husband, James F. "Bud" Epley, Sr.; brothers, Charlie Michaels and Ray Michaels; sisters, Betty Pollard and Junie Michaels; and granddaughter, Billie S. Prestwood.
Essie is survived by son, James F. Epley, Jr. and wife, Bonnie, of Morganton; daughters, Elizabeth Hardee, of O'Katie, SC and Barbara Wright Prestwood, of Glen Alpine, NC; grandchildren, Jamie Meadows, Jimmie Webb, Charlene Webb, Cathy Galloway, Bobbi Prestwood, Charlotte Ramsey, Rhonda Epley Buchanan, and Angela Epley Contas; thirteen great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; and sisters, Ruth Pritchard and Mary Jane Simmons, both of Morganton.
The funeral will be held at 3:00 p.m., Sunday, January 11, 2015 in the Colonial Chapel of Sossoman Funeral Home and Crematory Center with Rev. Johnny McCombs officiating. Burial will follow at Burke Memorial Park. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. prior to the service.
Memorial contributions may be made to Burke Hospice and Palliative Care, Inc., 1721 Enon Rd., Valdese, NC 28690.
Sossoman Funeral Home and Crematory Center is assisting the family with the arrangements.