Obituary - Mary Anna Box Stanforth

GREENVILLE, N.C. - Mary Anna Box Stanforth, 80, passed away Sunday, Feb. 11, 2018, of natural causes. She was under the care of the staff at Vidant Inpatient Hospice Center. A celebration of life will be conducted Saturday at 1 pm in the fellowship hall at the Greenville Church of God, located at 3105 South Memorial Drive in Greenville, NC. The family will receive friends following the service.

Mary grew up on a farm in Alabama and met her husband, Mel, while at the University of Alabama, and they married in 1959. Mel served in the United States Navy, which took them to various places, including Key West, Barbados and Naples, Italy. Then they went to Detroit, Michigan before settling in Greenville in 1969. She was a graduate of East Carolina University and taught kindergarten for more than 20 years at Farm Life Elementary School in Vanceboro.

Mary was an artist. She designed and crafted quilts, made dolls, stained glass, and she could make art out of anything. Mary was a consummate folk artist. She was a very gracious and selfless person. She gave of her time through various acts of service and enjoyed cooking for others. She was an amazing grandmother who invested time in her grandchildren and made sure they knew her.

She is survived by her husband of 58 years, Mel Stanforth; children, Cameron Parham of Havre, MT, and her children, Granville, Emily, and Burke Parham; Shannon Stanforth and wife, Nancy, of Apex and their son, Sam Stanforth; and Patrick Stanforth of Chapel Hill and his children, Nicholas and Ian Stanforth; brother, Bill Box and wife, Lucy; and sister, Sarah Jo Spearman.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Vidant Inpatient Hospice Center, C/O the Vidant Health Foundation, PO Box 8489, Greenville, NC 27835.

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