MARCH 25 — Mildred Matthews Stanley, 76, of Farmville, went to be with the Lord on Thursday, March 20, 2014. She was a Farmville native, born on July 30, 1937, just up the road from her lifelong home.

She loved her family, her work and serving her church. She was a dedicated Sunday school teacher, a church historian and a lifelong member of Guinea Presbyterian Church. She loved helping others and was a loyal employee at Stackpole and then at Crossroads Community Services and was on the board for over 25 years.

Ms. Stanley is survived by a loving daughter, Lynne Stanley Neese; a devoted son, Andrew Brown Stanley Jr.; three grandchildren whom she adored, Ashley Stanley, Amanda Stanley and Andrew Brown Stanley III, all of Farmville; a well loved sister, Sarah Shanks and niece, Shannon Shanks, also of Farmville. She leaves behind many members of her extended church family and network of friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, the late Carl and Nannie Matthews, a brother, Charles Matthews, a sister, Dorothy Matthews Pippen and her husband, Andrew Brown Stanley Sr.

Her family extends their love and thanks to all the women of the church for their caregiving and encouragement, to Jennifer and Amanda at the Woodlands for their service, encouragement and dignified treatment and to her community for all their support and prayers.

The family requests donations be made in her memory to the Guinea Cemetery Fund. Ms. Stanley often requested that her family and friends celebrate her life and her faith.

A funeral service was held on Sunday, March 23 at Guinea Presbyterian Church in Cumberland with interment in the church cemetery.

Shorter Funeral Home, Farmville, served the family. www.shorterfuneralhome.com