Willie Mae Crockett

Willie Mae Crockett, affectionately known as Mother Crockett, was born in Leslie, SC on February 2, 1932 to the late Rebecca Crawford Gettys and Robert (Turn) Crockett.  She transitioned on to her heavenly home on Tuesday, November 9, 2021 after an extended illness.

Mother Crockett attended elementary school in Leslie, SC at the Tabernacle A.M.E. Zion Church.  At the age of 9, Mother Crockett told the Pastor, Rev. Barber, friends and family, “I'm saved!”  And she worked as though she was!  She was a Jr. Usher, Assistant Sunday School teacher and member of the Choir. In the 8th grade, she attended Dunhas School in East Spencer, NC.  In 9th grade, she attended Emmett Scott High School in Rock Hill, SC.  By this time, the family had moved to North Carolina where she attended and graduated from Sterling High School in Pineville, NC.

Mother Crockett moved to New York in 1955 where she attended St. Paul A.M.E. Zion Church in Great Neck, NY.  It was there that she started to pray 3 times a day CONTINUOUSLY for the Lord to save, sanctify and fill her with the Holy Ghost.  A year later, in 1956, she moved to Corona, NY and selected a church based on the fact that it had an air conditioner. She refused to join, until the Lord filled her with the Holy Ghost.

In 1957 she started attending Bethel Gospel Church in Corona, NY, where the Lord filled her with the precious gift of the Holy Ghost, with the evidence of speaking in tongues, as the Spirit gave utterance. She was baptized in Jesus' name by the late Allen Powell. While a member of Bethel Gospel Church, she served as Sunday School secretary, on the Missionary Board, as a Choir Member, as a Youth Leader, and on the Children's Choir. When Bethel Gospel Church closed in Corona, NY and moved to Brooklyn, NY, she began going to Little Bibleway P.A.W in Corona, NY where Elder Frank Pitts was pastor.  There, she first held the office of President of the Missionary Department and served on the Usher Board.

Eventually, Elder Powell reopened Bethel Gospel Church in Queens, NY, and in 1977, she returned and was immediately appointed President of the Missionary Department by the Pastor himself.  In addition, she served on the Usher Board, Choir, in Sunday School, as Women's Council Treasurer for both the State Level and Tri-District, and as the President of the local Missionary Department. In her own words, “Whatever my hands find to do...I try to do...I thank God He has brought me this far!”

While in NY, her occupation was telephone operator for AT&T.  After retiring, she would attend the 6:00 A.M. Prayer Service at the True Deliverance Church.  She was not a member of the church, however, due to her faithfulness and arriving early to pray, the Pastor's wife gave her a key to prevent her from standing outside to await entry. She kept that key until she moved to North Carolina in 2007.

Once in NC, she became a member at The Living Church of our Lord Jesus Christ in Charlotte, NC under the leadership of Apostle Ronnie L. Parson, Sr. Until her health declined, she was a faithful lifetime member of the Missionary Department, the Women's Council Department, the Mother’s Board, and the 5:00 A.M. Prayer Band. It was during this prayer line where she would say, “Without a mind, we cannot serve Him.” Mother Crockett was very diligent in traveling to the various COOLJC conventions.  Throughout the years, she acquired some very strong friendships with her faithful traveling buddies – Mother Lillie G. Kennedy of Columbia, SC, and Sis. Mazie Rice of St. Albans, NY, whom she called her daughter.

Mother Crockett was preceded in death by her parents, Rebecca Crawford Gettys (Elliott) and Robert (Turn) Crockett (Allie V.); Brothers: James Elliott Gettys, Henry Crockett, Melvin Crockett, John Wallace, and Sisters: Louise Gaither and Mary Frances Crockett-Hemphill. She leaves to cherish wonderful memories of her life, her daughter, Manasseh of the home; Sisters: Annie Gettys Fetterson and Maggie Gettys, both of Charlotte, NC,  Bealuh Dunlap of Catawba, SC and Sister-in-Law Diane Gettys of Gastonia, NC; Brothers: Henry Gettys of Charlotte, NC, Ralph (Brenda) Gettys of Asheville, NC, Robert Witherspoon, Leroy (Geneva) Crockett, Johnny (Georgia) Crockett, Thomas (Linda) Crockett, and James (Anita) Crockett, all of Rock Hill, SC; Grandchildren: Tacia Maxwell of Queens, NY, LaTayah Williams of Charelston, SC, Eric and Avery Williams of Columbia, SC and Natasha Neeplo of Charlotte, NC; Godchildren: Richard Williams of Clover, SC, Natasha Fetterson of Charlotte, NC, Beverly McClerklin and Karen Williams-Toland of Columbia, SC, and Kacina Meadows of Winston Salem, NC. Mother also leaves a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and special friends, her walking buddies Mary Staten and Vivian Wyatt; and a special caregiver, Nurse Binta of the Hospice and Palliative Care, Charlotte Region.