Nanetta Cridlin's Obituary
Nanetta E. Cridlin was born in Sprigg, WV, to Spicie Mae McCoy Ely and Gustavus Zebulun Ely on November 26, 1925. She was proud to tell everyone she was a direct descendant of the Hatfield-McCoy clan. Her grandmother was Nancy Jane Hatfield, who married Robert Lee McCoy, and their oldest daughter was Nanetta’s mother. Nanetta’s mother died in childbirth leaving her father with five small children when Nanetta was only six years old. After her mother’s death, her father and his five small children returned to his hometown in Jonesville, VA, to be near family. Nanetta was reared by her paternal grandmother and her paternal aunts. She attended college at Union College in Barbourville, KY, and Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, TN. She married Clyde Yeamans Cridlin, an attorney, in 1953. They had one daughter, Nancy; Nanetta also actively helped to raise her stepson Clyde, whom she loved and accepted as her own. She was employed in the Lee County Clerk’s office for 22 years as a deputy clerk and then later by the United States Postal Service for 3 years in Jonesville, VA. She retired to be a homemaker in 1971 when her husband moved to Memphis to serve as an administrative law judge with the Social Security Administration. That began an adventure for the family as they then moved to Hattiesburg, MS, and Jacksonville, FL, for his job. Living in new parts of the country and meeting new people was always fun for Nanetta; she adapted beautifully and made good friends in her various hometowns. She returned to Memphis in 1997 to live near her daughter and family. After a valiant fight against cancer and a devastating fall in March, Nanetta joined family and friends in the Kingdom of Heaven on October 8, 2013. Nanetta was preceded in death by her husband, Clyde Y Cridlin Sr.; her parents, Gustavus Zebulun Ely and Spicie McCoy Ely; her siblings, June Giles, Robert Ely, and Bonnie Mae Johnson. She is survived by her brother, Garland Ely of Jonesville, VA; her daughter, Nancy Cridlin Barnett (Ed) of Memphis; her son, Clyde Y. Cridlin Jr. (Linda) of Christiansburg, VA; her grandchildren, Edwin Walter Barnett Jr., Nicole Barnett Nannie (David), Marvin Wesley Barnett III (Lauren), all of Memphis; Bryan Cridlin (Angie), and Michael Cridlin (Karri) of Christiansburg, VA; and 9 great-grandchildren. Nanetta was a very active member of Colonial Park United Methodist Church, where she enjoyed participating in the Fidelis Sunday School Class and various senior citizens’ activities. She was a member of The United Methodist Women for over 50 years and served as a circle leader of the Hope Circle at CPUMC. She spent countless hours planning, hosting, and decorating for many of the ladies’ luncheons at CPUMC. She will be missed most for her staunch and steadfast faith and the Christian example she lived out in daily service. Her kind heart, loving spirit, and joy for life will be missed by all who knew her. Her family and friends will rejoice in the many memories of her fun-loving ability to entertain and her talent for making her signature divinity candy. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be made to Colonial Park United Methodist Church or the Methodist Hospice. Services will be held at Memorial Park Funeral on Friday, October 11, 2013, with the visitation taking place from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 pm, and the funeral immediately following at 2:30 p.m.Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery, 5668 Poplar Ave. Memphis, TN 38119, (901)767-8930, “Behind the Stone Wall”.Location: Section N Arrow Color: Red
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