Mildred P. "Nana" Perry

Mildred P. "Nana" Perry, 91, of Westwood Drive, Morganton died Wednesday, June 27, 2007 at Grace Hospital following a brief illness. She was born September 16, 1915 in Avery County, NC, and was the daughter of the late Wilburn Wilson Pyatte and Matilda Hicks Pyatte. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a brother, Rev. Bill Pyatte, whom she raised; eleven other brothers and sisters; a former son-in-law, Elvin D. Long; and her special friend, Mr. Raymond Williams. Mildred worked in Detroit, MI in a defense plant during WWII and was a retired employee of Broughton Hospital with over 31 years of service. She was a charter member and founder of Bethel Church of Christ, which first began meeting in her home in 1964. Ms. Perry loved traveling the world and the US, gardening, and baking breads and pies. For five years she was a volunteer cook for Burke Hospice.The family would like to thank Morganton Long Term Care, Betty Taylor Family Care Home, Britthaven, Bethel Church of Christ, and her friends at Burke Hospice for their loving care of Mildred.She is survived by her daughter, Ethelene Perry Long of Morganton; granddaughters, Deedra Long Epley and husband, Kenny, of Morganton and Angela Kyle Long Vaughn and husband, Darryl, of Boone, NC; great grandchildren, Jessica and Joshua Epley of Morganton; a close friend and sister-in-law, Helen Pyatte, and her daughter, Shelia Tuttle and husband, Andy, of Morganton.Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, June 29, 2007 in the Colonial Chapel of Sossoman Funeral Home with Rev. Richard Via officiating. Entombment will follow in Burke Memorial Park Mausoleum. The body will lie in state at the funeral home from 10:30 until 11:00 a.m. Memorial contributions may be made to the Betty Taylor Family Care Home Activity Fund, 2572 Ridgeview Dr., Valdese, NC 28690.