Mildred Pearl Baxley Willingham, 91, of North Charleston, SC, passed away Thursday, April 30, 2015 at her home. Her funeral service was held Sunday, May 3, 2015 in the J. HENRY STUHR, INC., NORTHWOODS CHAPEL, 2180 Greenridge Road at 4:00 pm. Interment was held on Monday, May 4, 2015 in Riverside Cemetery, Dillon, SC at 11:30 am. The family received friends Sunday in the Northwoods Chapel one hour prior to the service.
Mildred was born April 21, 1924 in Lake View, SC, daughter of the late Harvey Marion Baxley and the late Jessie Lupo Baxley. She graduated from Lake View High School and then left for Washington, DC in January 1944 to work for the F.B.I. Mildred then left to work as the personal secretary to the Deputy Administrator of the Farmers Home Administration in the U.S. Department of Agriculture. She then went to work on Capitol Hill as staff assistant for three different U.S. Congressmen during the Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon administrations before retiring in July of 1975. She traveled extensively after he retirement and visited all 50 states, Europe and Canada. She was a member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Summerville, SC and a former volunteer at Trident Hospital.
She was preceded in death by her husband Thomas A. Willingham, Jr. sisters, Evelyn D’agostino and Betty Lou Stephens and her brother Bobby Lee Baxley. She is survived by her sister Jean Baxley Crosby and brother-in-law, William “Bill” Crosby; step-children Ellen T. Willingham, Dr. Thomas A. Willingham, III and Dr. Mark C. Willingham; 10 nieces, and nephews; 20 great nieces and nephews and 20 great great nieces and nephews and a host of friends.
The family wishes to thank Mildred’s wonderful caregivers at the Bridge, Edith Smith, Rosa Murray and Carrie Brown and all the special people whom loved and cared for her there. They also wish to thank Southern Care Hospice for their care the end of her life.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Alzheimer’s Association, Lowcountry Area Office, 2090 Executive Hall Road, Suite 130, Charleston, SC 29407.
A memorial message may be sent to the family by visiting our website at www.jhenrystuhr.com.
