Bamberg, SC - Mary Elizabeth Ott Crawford of Bamberg, SC, passed away after an extended illness at her daughter's home in Matthews, NC on July 14, 2024 at the age of 87.

The daughter of John Luther and Susie Euzile Ott, Mary was the middle of three children, born on June 24, 1937 in their Bamberg family home as a breach birth.  She graduated from Bamberg High School in 1955.  Before beginning her nursing education, she worked at Lovelace Five and Dime for a year.  She attended and graduated from Orangeburg School of Nursing in 1959 and then began her over 50-year career nursing in Bamberg following graduation. Mary met her husband, George William Crawford on a blind date, and they were married on November 26, 1959 and were gifted with 50 years together before his death in 2009.

She humbly and selflessly served the elderly population at Bamberg Nursing Center for the majority of her nursing career with most of her time spent serving as Director of Nursing.  She treated her patients and their family members as if they were her family, and she was pleased that under her direction the facility grew from 20 to 80 bed capacity for regional residents and that it ranked in the top four facilities in the state of South Carolina.

When Mary was not serving the elderly population, she served at her church and United Methodist Women(UMW).  She received the Special Mission Recognition from the UMW in 2012 for her uncompromising patient care during her nursing career at Bamberg Nursing Center.  She was honored as such for making a difference in the lives of the elderly and the Bamberg community.  Mary opitimized the motto of the UMW that "love in action can change the world."

Aunt or "Miss" Mary's was the "go to" house for extended family and friends to enjoy a home cooked Southern meal.   She simply was just the "best cook" and said this was due to the love she put into each meal, a gift that her executive chef grandson, Jonathan Neal Aiken has inherited.

Mary was raised on a farm and inherited her father's green thumb. She loved producing fresh vegetables with her husband and canning them for her family to enjoy throughout the year.  Family members were known to sneak a jar or two from her pantry and "nothing in the store tasted as good" as her tomatoes and soup mixture.

In addition to gardening, Mary was an avid reader, watcher of game and medical shows, lover of country and gospel music, and a fan of Atlanta Braves baseball.  She was a rare fan of not one but two state college football teams, the Clemson Tigers and the South Carolina Gamecocks as was necessitated by her two children having the audacity to attend rival schools.  She adored her grandchildren, and they fondly recall summers spent with their grandparents being doted on in South Carolina while enjoying all the simple summer pleasures that small town living afford.  She welcomed her first great grandchild and namesake, Emsleigh Elizabeth Aiken in March of 2023 and mentioned that seeing the first year of her life was one of the highlights of her life.

Mary is survived by her two children, Susan Crawford Aiken (David) of Matthews, North Carolina; and Joseph Crawford of Bamberg, South Carolina. Additionally, she is survived by her grandson Jonathan Neal Aiken (Brooke Lynn Kelly) of Terrell, NC and her granddaughter Briana Elizabeth Aiken of Matthews, NC and her "bonus" great-grandson, Sebastian James Kelly-Parks, and great-granddaughter Emsleigh Elizabeth Aiken of Terrell, NC.  She also doted on her nieces and nephews and great nephews of Bamberg whom she dearly loved. In addition to her parents, John Luther and Suzie Euzile Ott, Mary was predeceased by her infant daughter Tammy Jo Crawford, and by her brothers, Martin Luther Ott and Joseph Marion Ott.

Funeral Services will be held on July 17, 2024 at 11 am, at First Baptist Church in Bamberg, South Carolina with visitation one hour preceding the service.

Interment will follow at Old Union Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to Guardian Angels at 2001 Walnut Lane, Monroe, N.C.  28112.