Nellie Gray Peele

NELLIE GRAY PEELE

December 2, 1941 – April 14, 2024

MIDDLESEX – Nellie Gray Peele, 82, of Middlesex, passed away Sunday afternoon at Johnston Memorial Hospital in Smithfield.

Nellie was a daughter of the late Noble Guy Mitchell and Maybelle Boykin Mitchell. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ray Peele; brothers Noble Guy Mitchell, Jr. (Thelma), Wilbert Guy Mitchell, James Gilbert Mitchell, and Stephen Mitchell (Georgia); and sisters, Glennie Godwin (Henry), and Dorothy Peacock (David).

Nellie is survived by her sister-in-law Cornelia Mitchell, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Nellie Gray grew up the youngest of 7 siblings. Nellie worked on the farm performing very physically demanding tasks such as handing sticks of tobacco up into the barn to be hung. She later worked several years in manufacturing at Devil Dog in Zebulon and at Pajama Craft in Middlesex, where Nellie was so dedicated that she was given her own parking space with her name on it.

Nellie was a member of MidPoint Church (Middlesex Church of God) where she was an active member of the Son Shining Seniors. She loved attending the annual Smoky Mountain Jubilee Senior Convention in Gatlinburg, Nellie liked selling BBQ chicken plates to raise money to attend these events, many times as the top seller. Nellie was also a member of Antioch Baptist Church.

Nellie loved her family. She would drive weekly and sometimes daily to visit her family in Johnston and Wilson Counties.

For pleasure, Nellie loved finding yard sales and purchasing what nots and stuffed animals for her house and car. Nellie was well known for her craft of making colorful tissue box covers using plastic canvas and yarn. This craft followed her to Coventry House of Zebulon assisted living where she sold her tissue box covers for $5 each to staff and visitors. The staff would comment that Nellie had her own little “hustle business” inside the home.

Nellie loved birds. She wanted feeder outside her window at Coventry House so that she could watch them. She wanted them to eat bird feed and not bugs and worms.

Nellie was best known for her love of displaying pictures of her family on her walls and in albums. This also followed her to the assisted living and nursing homes. But perhaps nothing brought more joy to Nellie than fried chicken. She could eat chicken morning, noon, and night if allowed. During her days at Coventry House and Smithfield Manor, a Bojangles chicken box brought a smile to her face every time.

A graveside funeral service will be held 11:00 AM Saturday, April 20, 2024 at the Antioch Baptist Church Cemetery, with Pastor Joe Leonard officiating.

In lieu of flowers, monetary gifts may be made to the Celebrate Recovery or Son Shining Senior Ministry at MidPoint Church, 5407 NC 231 Hwy. Middlesex, NC 27557.

Arrangements are by Strickland Funeral Home & Crematory, Louisburg.  www.stricklandfuneralhome.net.  

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