Martha Louise Crawford Cheves

On November 1, 2011, Martha Louise Crawford Cheves, 87, passed away peacefully at Grace Ridge in Morganton, NC, leaving the arms of her loving family to begin her next round of play on God?s perfect course.Cheves was born in Wadesboro, NC (Anson County) on January 27, 1924. She is survived by daughter Carolyn Cheves of Little River, SC; son Carter and Jan Cheves of Apex, NC; grandchildren Dan and Starla Hoke of Glen Alpine, NC, Carter Cheves, III of Cullowhee, NC and Emily Cheves of Apex; great-grandchildren Lendan Hoke and Baila Grace Hoke of Glen Alpine.In 2007, she was preceded in death by her husband, Joe Cheves, a PGA golf professional for 70 years and the long-time club professional at Mimosa Hills Country Club in Morganton.She was preceded in death by her parents, Clayton Arthur Crawford (1953) and Mary Lou Tucker Crawford (1988), sisters Mary Pines (Piney) Crawford Morris Wood (2006), Betty Lou (Bett) Crawford Lowe (2003), and Agnes Marie (Ag) Crawford Tucker (2010), and brother John Jefferson Crawford (2011), all of Wadesboro, NC.She was also preceded in death by an outstanding group of brother-in-laws and one sister-in-law. They included Jack Morris, Fred Wood, John Lowe, Frank (Mun) Tucker and Gina Lang Crawford.Call ?Mott? by her friends and family in Wadesboro, she graduated from Wadesboro High in 1942. There, she was co-captain of the basketball team as a senior. She participated in the Monogram Club, was a member of the marching band, playing clarinet, and she was on the business staff of the Hi-Ways yearbook staff. She attended Catawba College in Salisbury, NC. She obtained her pilot?s license in her early 20?s and flew on many solo flights.In Wadesboro, she worked for Carolina Power & Light before marrying Joe Cheves in 1947. Martha had begun taking golf lessons from Cheves, who was the golf pro at Twin Valley Country Club.The couple moved to Morganton, NC in 1951, when Joe became the golf pro at Mimosa Hills.Throughout the 1950?s and 60?s, Martha was in charge of the dining and catering facilities at Mimosa.From her first golf lessons from Joe, she became quite the golfer. She captured the Mimosa Hills Ladies Club Championship on five occasions (1952, 1958, 1964, 1965, 1967). She played in 21 North Carolina Amateur Championships, making championship flight over 15 times.She won the 1974 PGA Senior Ladies Championship, and was the Marge Crisp Invitational Medalist in 1991.She was twice runner-up in the Carolinas Women?s Four-Ball Championship ? with Marie Newton in 1958 and Mel Rhodes in 1985. Both events were held at Mimosa Hills.Martha was a member of the First United Methodist Church, where she participated in various church activities.A celebration of Martha?s life will be held in the Colonial Chapel of Sossoman Funeral Home and Crematory Center on Friday, November 4, 2011 at 4:00 p.m. with Rev. Dr. Sydnor Thompson, III officiating. The family will receive friends at the funeral home following the service.In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church, 200 North King Street, Morganton, N.C. 28655 or the History Museum of Burke County, 201 West Meeting St., Morganton, N.C. 28655.