Avis Craig Conner, age 85, passed away peacefully on Thursday, June 2, 2016, at Dogwood Forest Assisted Living Community in Cumming, Ga., after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease.
Avis was born in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia on November 1, 1930, to Ewell and Mary (Dickerson) Craig. She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Lester Craig, and her grandson Eric Conner.
She graduated with honors from Meadows of Dan High School in 1948. Soon afterward, she moved to Roanoke to further her education, earning a degree from National Business College. On July 27, 1954, Avis married J. Leon Conner (formerly of Woolwine). They had four children together.
The family moved frequently due to her husband’s career; they lived in Virginia, Maryland, Ohio, Texas and Georgia over the course of their marriage. Avis worked as an executive secretary at various companies over the years. In 1980, she settled in Cumming for good.
Avis was a dedicated mother, wife, and homemaker. Having grown up on a farm, she always insisted on having a large garden so she could can or freeze her own fresh produce. She made applesauce and strawberry jelly yearly. She always had a supply of delicious home-baked goodies on hand and decorated her home beautifully with hand-embroidered pillows and crocheted afghans.
Avis was a gifted seamstress and tailor. In fact, she excelled at needlework of all kinds: embroidery, knitting, crocheting, and tatting were her favorites. She was also a talented hand-quilter; she made quilts for all her children and grandchildren before she got sick, and belonged to a local guild that donated quilts to the needy.
She enjoyed staying physically fit, walking regularly with friends and taking Tai Chi classes at the senior center. She volunteered at the gift shop in the Forsyth County Hospital for years. Avis was very active in her church, First Baptist of Cumming, and served as the secretary of her Sunday school class.
Surviving are her four children, Jim (Kathryn), Dave, Becky (Michael) and Jeff; eight grandchildren: Patrick, Will (Michelle), Daniel (Bonnie), Becky (Paul), Sam, Benjamin, Caleb, and Jacque; four great-grandchildren: Luke, Ella, Jake, and Dotty; two sisters: Nelda Lovell and Dorris Conner; and many nieces and nephews.
She will be remembered for her kindness, her fun-loving spirit, and her amazing culinary skills.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 11, 2016, at Conners’ View Primitive Baptist Church in Meadows of Dan, preceded by a viewing starting at 1 p.m. Graveside service and burial will follow at Conners’ View Cemetery.
Moody Funeral Services in Stuart is handling the arrangements.
