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GREENVILLE, NC – Nancy Christine Lassiter Piland of Greenville, NC passed away on July 23, 2022, at 90 years old.

Known as “Nana” to many, Nancy was born at Corner High in Gates County, NC on December 18, 1931, to William and Claudie Lassiter. After Nancy’s father passed away when she was five years old, her mother raised her and her siblings in a single parent household next to her grandparents, “Mama and Papa Tink” (short for Tinkham). She frequently recalled many happy days spent on their back porch brushing Mama Tink’s snow white hair and sweeping up with handmade brooms she had made with her friends. Nancy adored her older sister, Mollie, who she gardened and went on bike rides with.

At 18, Nancy married her now late husband, Stephen “S” Piland, and moved to Hertford County to live on the Piland Family farm. She raised her three children there, working in the home, selling Avon products, and growing the family’s food in two big gardens that fed them year-round. She taught bible school at Holly Springs Baptist Church in Cofield and supported her children in 4H and many other activities.

After her children were grown, Nancy moved to Simpson, NC in Pitt County. She was active in Sunday school and helped her many friends with community outreach. Nancy worked in home health care and cared for her long-time next-door neighbor, Ms. Buck. In those years, she delighted in watching her grandchildren grow, teaching them about crochet, gardening, and preparing elaborate lunches for visiting family after Sunday services.

A car accident put Nancy in a wheelchair later in life, so she moved to MacGregor Downs Health and Rehabilitation in Greenville, NC where she thrived in her later years. She watched the many birds at her outdoor feeders, played Bingo every week, and loved visits from her family and friends far and near. She made many friends at the facility among both the staff and residents. She was proud when her son Bill’s Christian music group would come to play for the residents, and she particularly looked forward to visits from his daughter-in-law, Sarah Stroud. They were kindred spirits and Nancy encouraged Sarah to finish nursing school. Nancy’s unconditional and whole-hearted love for the people in her life is her lasting legacy. Nancy passed away with an enduring love of God, ready to go home to him and to be with her mom and loved ones.

In addition to her husband, Nancy was preceded in death by her sister, Mollie Williamson; brother, Tinkham “Brother” Lassiter; her two much-beloved children who cared for her for many years, Ronnie Piland and Faye Piland; and her daughter-in- law, Cathy Stroud Piland.

She is survived by her son, William “Bill” Piland; grandchildren, Stephanie, Jeremy, Jaynie, Nicholas, and Stephen; great-grandchildren, Christina, Jackson, and Andrew; and her great-grandson, Hayes (all Pilands).

A Celebration of Nancy’s life will be held on Saturday, August 20 at 2 pm at Salem United Methodist Church in Simpson, NC. There will be fellowship in the hall after services. Nancy will be laid to rest with her parents at Cool Springs Baptist Church in Gates County at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations in Nancy’s name to Salem UMC via their website https://salemmethodist.org/ or to Greenville Fire and Rescue, in honor of Nancy’s treasured friendship with the late Dawson Nethercutt.

Arrangements are by Smith Funeral Service & Crematory. Online condolences may be expressed at www.smithfcs.com.