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WINTERVILLE – Celia Ann Brinkley Lewis Stroud, age 88, formerly of Ahoskie, went to her eternal home in heaven to be with her Father God and her family on June 19, 2021 at Vidant Inpatient Hospice in Greenville, NC.

Ms. Stroud was born in Hertford County, NC, on May 22, 1933, a daughter of the late Ledie Alphus and Lou Overton Brinkley. Celia spent her life caring for people during her career at Roanoke Chowan Hospital and Pitt Memorial Hospital. Her great cooking and baking skills brought her much joy, especially when she could share with others. Family was the most important thing in Celia’s life. Her pride and joy were her children, grandchildren and great grand babies, including children she cared for that she considered her own grand babies, and she made each and every one feel like they were her favorite. She and her sister, Shirley, who is 93, would talk regularly for hours about brothers, sisters, and children, keeping their memories alive. She was a shopping buddy, Facebook queen, and loved watching Hallmark movies with her daughters. She loved fishing and crabbing. Celia was a confidant, and you could confide in her about anything. If anyone had a question about a family member’s birthday, Celia was the one to ask, always keeping up with the family from children to cousins to nieces and nephews. Whether you knew her as Squealy, Aunt Celia, Grammy, Grandmama, Nanny, girlfriend, or “one special lady”, she always encouraged everyone to turn to the Lord through all trials in life. She was the rock of the family and our angel here on earth to all who knew her and blessed so many people’s lives just by knowing her.

Besides her parents, Celia was preceded in death by her son, Douglas Edward Lewis; five sisters, Lois, Vivian, Cleo, Virginia, and Betty; and three brothers, Mutt, George, and Sam.

Left to cherish Celia’s memory are her two daughters, Rose Marie Skinner of Greenville, NC, and Sandra Lewis Pittman of Wilson, NC; her daughter-in-law Cindy Lewis of Ahoskie, NC; three granddaughters, Shanna Leigh Lewis of Dothan, AL, Rose Ann Carr and husband Chris of Rolesville, NC, Mandy Kaye Fay and husband Nick of Youngsville, NC; three great grandsons, Collin Douglas Peace, Brandon Carr, and Rowan Fay; three great granddaughters, Brick Peace, Kaitlyn Peace, and Hannah Carr; her sister, Shirley Umphlett of Eure, NC; and her extended family that she considered her own. She was Nanny to Beth Brock and Tanner Brown and Grandma Ann to Karen Mizelle and Blake.

A very special thank you to her wonderful caregiver, Mrs. Ida Burnette and the nurses and staff at Vidant Inpatient Hospice.

The family will receive friends on Saturday, June 26, 2021 from 11-11:45 a.m. at Garrett-Sykes Funeral Service, Ahoskie, NC, followed by the celebration of life service at 12 p.m. in the chapel at Garrett-Sykes Funeral Service, with Rev. Greg Hurdle officiating. Burial will follow in the Brinkley Family Cemetery, Ahoskie, NC. Due to COVID-19 and children not being vaccinated, face coverings will be required inside the building.

Flowers are welcome or memorial contributions may be made directly to Vidant Health Service League of Greenville Inpatient Hospice, c/o Vidant Health Foundation, 690 Medical Drive, Greenville, NC 27834; or you may donate online by visiting www.tmcfunding.com/seach fund; then type Celia Stroud.

Garrett-Sykes Funeral Service – Ahoskie Chapel is handling the arrangements for the Stroud family and online condolences can be directed to the family by visiting www.garrettsykesfs.com.