Ruth Dale Crawley

Ruth Dale Crawley, 100, of Grace Heights, formerly of Crawley Dale Street, Morganton, NC, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Saturday, March 24, 2007 following a period of declining health. Born in Burke County, NC on September 9, 1906, she was the daughter of the late Lester Dale, Sr. and Lula Smith Dale. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Alex Crawley; sons, Nelson and Ralph Crawley; brothers, Lester Dale, Jr., William Dale, Roscoe Dale, and June Dale; sisters, Bertha Walker, Annie Lou Mull, and Callie Crawley; a son-in-law, Raymond Brittain; and a granddaughter, Gilda Shell Crawley.

Ruth had been a member of Mull’s Grove Baptist Church and was a member of Grace Baptist Church for the last 25 years. She faithfully attended Grace Baptist Church as long as she was able, where she had been the oldest member of the church. She was a former employee of Broughton Hospital and the North Carolina School for the Deaf (NCSD). After NCSD she stayed at home to baby-sit her grandchildren, who were the love of her life. Mrs. Crawley loved to cook and work in her yard, especially her flower bed.

She is survived by her children, Verlie C. Smith and husband, Earl, of Connelly Springs, NC, Lucy C. Wellman and husband, James, William L. Crawley and wife, Oma, Derlene C. Brittain, Howard Jr. Crawley and wife, Alberta, and Virgil L. Crawley and wife, Hazel, all of Morganton; a daughter-in-law, Ruth Allman Crawley of Morganton; 21 grandchildren, 33 great-grandchildren, 20 great-great-grandchildren, and a number of nieces and nephews.

The funeral will be held at 2:00 p.m., Monday, March 26, 2007 at Grace Baptist Church with Reverends Marty Bess and Charles Lewis officiating. Burial will follow in Salem United Methodist Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends one hour before the service at the church. At other times the family will be at the home of Derlene Brittain on Salem Road. Memorial contributions may be made to Salem United Methodist Church, 1206 Salem Road, Morganton, NC 28655. Sossoman Funeral Home is assisting the family with the arrangements.