Mary Lib Stokes

Mrs. Stokes, age 88, of Charlotte, died March 25, 2014 at Levine & Dickson Hospice House in Charlotte after suffering an injury at her home. Visitation will be Friday March 28 12:30 PM at Mulberry Presbyterian Church. A service to celebrate her life will be conducted by Reverend Christina Carrasco Friday March 28 at 3:00 PM at the church. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. Mary Lib Stokes was born in rural Mecklenburg County on March 10, 1926, the daughter of the late Henry Gratt Springs and Elva Bolich Springs. Her childhood was spent at her family’s farm on Little Rock Road, where her earliest memory was helping her mother bake biscuits. Surrounded by family, she developed lifelong passions for home, church, singing, vegetable gardening, and baking. Mary Lib graduated from Berryhill high school in 1943. While working at International Harvester Company, she met “Britt” Stokes, a World War II Marine veteran. Married in 1946, Mary Lib and Britt settled in the same Mulberry community where she grew up. They raised three children and a lifetime of loving memories in the home they built on Tuckaseegee Rd. The community was so important to her that she remained in the same house from 1949 until she was injured last week. Every day she walked a mile, continuing the healthy tradition she set with Britt when he retired. Mary Lib was frequently employed in office work, including many years at Charlotte Latin School. Her life was focused on family, church, and community. A lifelong member of Mulberry Presbyterian Church, she sang in the choir and participated in the women’s “circles” for over 70 years. She treasured her lifelong friends in the “Fellowship” Sunday School class. She served at various times as Church Secretary, Sunday School teacher, Youth Group advisor, and Cub Scout Den Mother. Mary Lib baked sourdough bread for communion, and with her minister and others regularly visited shut-ins. She and Britt enjoyed the Boots & Slippers Square Dance Club for many years. A 60 year breast cancer survivor, she walked the 5K annually in the Charlotte Susan Komen Race for the Cure. Since 2012, she sang with the Charlotte Community Singers. Mrs. Stokes was a devoted Christian wife and mother and a good neighbor to everyone in Mulberry until the end. She will be greatly missed by her family and by all who knew her. Surviving are: daughter, Linda Stokes Sloan and husband, Edwin of Charlotte; sons, William H. Stokes and wife Beth of Lancaster, SC, and Edward B. Stokes and wife, Rosanna of Charlotte; grandsons, Donald F. Toney, III (Trip) and wife Kati of Kings Mountain, William B. Stokes and wife Christy of Mooresville, and Ian E. Stokes of White Plains, NY; granddaughters Elizabeth S. Price and husband Jacob of Charlotte and Anna K. Stokes of Raleigh; great grandsons, Hunter N. Toney of Kings Mountain and Connor D. Price of Charlotte, and great granddaughters Brittain K. Stokes and Elly McMahan of Mooresville; brother Earl B. Springs of Charlotte; sister Evelyn S. Eubanks of Matthews; niece Barbara Campbell of Charlotte; and dozens of nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was preceded in death by husband Henry B. Stokes; mother Elva B. Springs; father Henry G. Springs; brothers Henry Springs, William Springs, Charles Springs, Thomas Springs, and Carl Springs; sisters Ella Black, Lorene Springs, and Lucille Pangle. In lieu of flowers, please make memorials to Susan Komen Foundation www.komencharlotte.org, or Levine-Dickson Hospice House Southminster www.hpccr.org, or Mulberry Presbyterian Church, 5600 Tuckaseegee Rd., Charlotte, NC, 28208, www.mulberrypc.org. Arrangements are by Lowe-Neddo Funeral Home, 4715 Margaret Wallace Road, Matthews, NC 28105.

Mary Lib Stokes

March 10, 1926 - March 25, 2014