Evelyn Gilley Moricle

Reidsville- Evelyn G. Moricle, our beloved mother and friend, Ms. Evelyn, as she was affectionately called, died peacefully at Beacon Place in Greensboro and went to be with her Lord on Friday afternoon, March 16, 2012. Evelyn was born in Stuart, Virginia on October 24, 1914, to Jessie Martin Gilley and Nannie King Trent Gilley, who predeceased her, as well as her five siblings. Her family moved to Reidsville when she was 3 years old. While attending Reidsville High School (RHS), she became known as "Gilley the Great" in nationally syndicated newspapers for her prowess as a star basketball player. Her record for most points scored in a single game by one player of 57 points still stands at RHS for both female and male players. Evelyn's game point career average was 32. .Her working career consisted of employment as a sales person at Mace's Jewelry, then she was employed by The American Tobacco Company and Southern Bell prior to her marriage in August 1946 to Malcolm P. Moricle, who predeceased her in 1988. She was the best mother to her two surviving daughters, Evelyn M. Crescimanni and Sara M. Norman. She was a true mother-in-law to Ed Crescimanni and looks forward to seeing her favorite son-in-law, Cliff Norman in heaven.After doing all the motherly duties (PTA, G.A.s, Girl Scouts, carpooling in her 1961 Ford Thunderbird, piano lessons, etc.), she also worked for approximately 20 years as a tour guide/docent at Chinqua-Penn Plantation in Reidsville beginning in 1968. Ms. Evelyn continued learning and sharing the joys and beauty of life as she aged. This was evidenced by her membership in the First Baptist Church-Reidsville Circle # 3 ; the Classy Ladies FBC-Summerfield Red Hatters Group, as well as being a member of FBC- Reidsville Joy Singers. Mrs. Moricle loved life and the beauty of the world. Two favorite loves of her life were children and flowers especially pansies. Ms. Evelyn proudly flew the American Flag and thought it was beautiful and majestic. She never met a stranger and was a friend to many people of all ages. She was humble, polite, and compassionate and yet had a quiet sense of humor. She smiled often and was worried she'd get wrinkles soon and smiled to erase them. Ms. Evelyn was a charming Southern belle!After a recent fall tried to knock some more sense into her, she finally decided it was time to go to heaven. Always running "fashionably late" for her social engagements, it took about three weeks for her body to succumb.Also surviving are nieces: Karen C. Smith and Linda Carter; Joanne Kilroy, Betty Moricle, and Mary Sue Pruitt; and nephews: Jerry Gilley and Marshall Gilley; and Donald Moricle and Hunter Moricle.Ms. Evelyn was blessed the past 15 months by the loving care of her primary caregiver, Mrs. Elnora Neal; as well as her part-time caregiver and partner-in-crime since 2008, Mrs. Margaret Simpson.Her daughters extend their deepest appreciation for the wonderful care to the staff at Beacon Place, Moses Cone Memorial Hospital (especially the Neurosciences Unit-3000), and Annie Penn Hospital. We are most grateful to her physicians -- Dr. Roy Fagan, Dr. Thomas Stuckey, Dr. Peter Ennever and Dr. Melissa Taylor, for their medical advice and healthcare.The family will receive friends at Wilkerson Funeral Home on Sunday evening, March 18, 2012 from 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm. A celebration of her life will be held by her loving brothers and sisters in Christ at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, March 19th, 2012, at First Baptist Church of Reidsville. Burial will follow in the Greenview Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First Baptist Church, Chapel Renovations, 409 South Main Street, Reidsville NC 27320.