Grace Melinda Bolding Sides

Grace Melinda Bolding Sides, 88, of the Chesterfield Community, died unexpectedly, Monday, June 4, 2007, at her residence. She was born in Pickens, SC on June 1, 1919 and was a daughter of the late William Monroe Bolding and Josie Porter Bolding. In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her husband, Robert McDonald Sides; brothers, Nelse, Mon, and John Bolding; and a sister, Edith Bolding Patton. Grace was a member of Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church. Grace loved flower and vegetable gardening, and raised some beautiful flowers. It thrilled her to contribute flowers to her church and to people in hospitals. She could tell you where every flower or bush came from and who gave it to her. Many flowers Grace had nurtured for the past 50 years including one special rose bush that her brother, John, gave her when she was 17. Grace assured herself that this year’s gardens would be cared for if something happened to her by asking her niece, Robin Hubbard, to take care of them.Grace was a silent supporter through friendship and financial support to many people, never expecting anything in return except a hug and a smile. She’s been referred to as an "angel on earth", an "angel of mercy", an "angel of love", and just "an all around angel" that someone would have been blessed to know.Surviving are her daughter, Marie Sides Carden, and her husband, Eddie, of Durham, NC; a son "not by birth, but by love", Troy Patton and his wife, Joann, of Morganton; grandsons, Robert and Wade Griffin both of Durham; step-grandson, Ed Carden and his wife, Angela; and step-great granddaughter, Ashlyn Carden, all of Mebane, NC; numerous nephews and nieces; and a host of friends.Grace’s grandsons were really her ultimate reason for living. They made her happy simply by walking in the door, and they made her smile when nothing else could. She was a second "Mother" to Robert and Wade. Grace took great pride in showing these boys off, so she made sure they would go with her to church, cookouts, senior citizens meetings, family reunions, or just to visit a neighbor.Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, June, 8, 2007, at Mt Pleasant United Methodist Church with the Rev. George Williams officiating. Pallbearers will be Robert Griffin, Wade Griffin, Kevin Patton, Gary Burns, Monty McCoy, and Derek Lane. Burial will follow at Burke Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. Thursday at Sossoman Funeral Home. At other times the family will be at the home, 2426 NC 18 US 64.Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-1942; the American Cancer Society, 4-A Oak Branch Dr., Greensboro, NC 27407; the Epilepsy Foundation, 8301 Professional Place East, Landover, MD 20785; the Multiple Sclerosis Society, Eastern North Carolina Chapter, 3101 Industrial Dr., Suite 210, Raleigh, NC 28706., or to Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Women, PO Box 381, Morganton, NC 28680. Sossoman Funeral Home is assisting the family with the arrangements.