RALEIGH- Mildred Vann Godwin, 96, passed away peacefully on September 4, 2012 at the Springmoor Life Care Retirement Community.

Mildred was born inAhoskie,North Carolinaon October 31, 1915, the youngest child of Joseph Newsome and Agnes Wooten Vann.  She graduated from the Women’s College of theUniversityofNorth CarolinaatGreensborowith a degree in primary education.  Following graduation, she taught first grade inRich Squarefor four years before marrying A. Pilston Godwin, Jr. of Gatesville, N.C in 1940.   Mildred and Pilston lived in Gatesville where he practiced law for twenty years and where she taught in the Gates County Public School System for several years.  Upon Pilston’s appointment as the North Carolina Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, they moved toRaleighwhere they lived happily until his death in 1993.

Mildred fit easily into the life of her husband, who served in the North Carolina Senate, was Commissioner of Motor Vehicles and was a Superior Court Judge.  She was a happily disposed person with a pleasant sense of humor.  She enjoyed her weekly bridge groups and her many friends of all ages.

Mildred had an active and fulfilling life.  She was President of the Gatesville Women’s Club, Vice Chairman of the Gates County Democratic Party, a member of the Murfreesboro Historic Commission, Vice President of the Wake County Bar Auxiliary and was a Docent at the Governor’s Mansion.  She was a member of the White Memorial Presbyterian Church and was an active participant in theWhite Memorial Church Circle.  Some of the numerous social organizations and clubs in which she was a member were the Olla Padrida Book Club, the Circle Club, the Raleigh Fine Arts Society and the Nine O’Clock Cotillion.

Surviving family members are her two children, A. Pilston Godwin, III (Buck) and his wife, Susan Smith Godwin, of Newton Grove, and Gretchen Godwin MacNair and her husband, J. Van MacNair III, ofChapel Hill; and three granddaughters.

A memorial service will be held at White Memorial Presbyterian Church on Thursday, September 13, at 2 p.m.   The family will receive friends immediately after the service in the Jane Bell Gathering Space.   Mildred will be buried inGatesville,North Carolinanext to her husband, Pilston.

The family would like to offer special thanks to the staff atSpringmoorStewartHealthCenter, Juliana Muli and to Dr. Wells Edmundson for their professional and loving care.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to the Springmoor Endowment Fund at1500 Sawmill Road,Raleigh,N.C.  27615.