Maudie Holloway Gressette

Mrs. Maudie Gressette, age 94, a life long resident of North Walton County area passed away in the early morning hours of Friday, January 6, 2012. She was born September 28, 1917 in rural South Alabama, the daughter of William Joseph Holloway and Hettie Beason Webb Holloway. As a young girl, living on a farm, she learned quickly how to “make do” with the bounty of the area, sometimes sparse, sometimes plentiful. It was these skills she learned early on in life that afforded her a pure and simple life, one that afforded her the true riches of living as a wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, friend and neighbor. On December 11, 1943 she married William Franklin Gressette, Jr. a marriage than spanned well over a half century until his death in 1999. Maudie made a Christian home, not only for him and their daughters, but for numerous children from all over the area. When the Creator made Maudie He gave her a more than generous portion of motherly love. She turned none away; loved them as her own and nurtured and taught and strengthened them with faith and morals. Neighbors and friends knew whom to call upon if they needed help of any kind; putting up peas and vegetables, skinning a hog, baking pies and cakes at every function and event in the area, quilting, cross stitching, embroidering and then giving it away; Maudie squeezed every bit of living out of the ninety four years God gave her on this Earth and spent the majority of that time doing for others, especially children. She lost her husband in later October 1999 and her own health began to decline shortly thereafter. Confined to a wheelchair, nothing could dampen her spirit or her beautiful smile and the peace and assurance from knowing Jesus Christ as her Savior that sparkled in her eyes whenever you saw her. “Mama Maudie” as she was known by her youngins loved to go shopping, especially in DeFuniak Springs Wal*Mart where she could see many of her friends. Maudie Holloway Gressette was a faithful member of Center Ridge United Methodist Church.

She is predeceased by her husband, William Franklin (Bill) Gressette, Jr. Her brothers, William Wayne Holloway and Ora Lee Holloway; her sister Edna Earl Brannon; her son at heart, Jerry Lewis Crowder, two special sons-in-law Kenneth Earl McDonald and Carroll Buffalo and special friends, Lucille McInnis, Bertha Davis and Ora Lee Harrison.

Among survivors are her daughters, Carolyn Rebecca McDonald and Mary Ruth Gressette Buffalo. Her very special daughters-at-heart, Sylvia Mitchem , Lorene McCart and Martha Smothers. Her special grandchildren at heart, Jeremy and Justin Tankersley and Michael Moore. Her special grandchildren at heart, Colton and Cayden Tankersley; two step granddaughters, Carol Anne Welch and Amy Ripley. Eight step great grand children and eight step great great grandchildren. Her brother, Duncan Eugene Holloway and wife Mary Alice. A special friend Mae McDonald and many nieces and nephews also survive.

The family wishes to give a special thanks to the employees of Emerald Coast Hospice for their loving and outstanding service and to her kind and loving hairdresser Carolyn Commander.

Floral arrangements are being accepted. A time of visitation will be Monday, January 9, 2012 from 6 until 8 P.M. in Jerry Evans Chapel. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at 11:00 A.M. in Center Ridge United Methodist Church with Reverend John Wesley Spivey, Reverend Jimmy Cook, Reverend Ron Curry and Chaplain Jim Vail officiating. Burial will follow in Center Ridge Cemetery.