Obituary of Ella Pearl Crocker

Ella Pearl Crocker was born on December 24, 1937 to the late Leroy and Juanita Simmons in Halifax County, North Carolina.  She departed this life on Friday, February 8, 2019.

Ella was a member of Lebanon Baptist Church in Halifax North Carolina. She graduated from Halifax Training School aka, Ralph J. Bunch High School in 1957.  Immediately, following graduation she moved to New York to work as a nanny in New Rochelle, NY.  After a week, Ella wrote a “come and get me” letter to her beloved uncle Wiley who lived in the Bronx NY, thus ending her career as a nanny. Ella met and married the late Willie Crocker on December 12, 1959, and through that union two daughters were born, Michele and Nina Crocker.

Ella attended Apex Beauty School and became a licensed Beautician in 1967. She worked as a Picker/Packer for Herman Pecker until she moved to New Jersey in 1974. In 1976, Ella started working as a Packer at Ivers-Lee Division of Becton Dickinson and Company in West Caldwell, NJ until her retirement in 1992. Ella became a member of Mount Zion Baptist Church in September 1998.

Ella was dedicated to her family. She was the loving and adoring Aunt to her nieces and nephews.  Ella was given the name Auntie by her late nephew Kelvin Calhoun, which has been her household name for decades. She was known for her love of children, and it was through that love that she became a parent to many.  She personified the old African proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Ella actively contributed to the village by parenting six additional children after her retirement.

Ella loved hats, plants, gardening, shopping and she collected elephants. Although quiet in nature, not much of a talker or debater, she spoke her mind lovingly and at times not so lovingly (soft smile). Tongue lashings, and advice were given free of charge. Ella lived by the motto, “May the work I’ve done speak for me, and If I can help somebody as I travel along, then my living shall not be in vain”.

Ella was preceded in death by her husband, Willie Crocker, brothers Percy, Jimmy Lee, Stallie, Andrew Lee, and sister Ruby Williams.

Ella leaves to cherish her memory, Nina and Michele Crocker; extended children, Jeff Batts, Alonzo Campbell, Rakeem Mosey, Lonnie Alston, Daniel and Michael Williams, Raheemah White and Fatimah Davis, Rochelle and Shanice James; sisters, Dorothy Simmons, Jeanette Bradley (Mason), Eva Harris, Linda Calhoun (William); brother, Delroy Simmons (Pearl) and a host of other relatives and friends.                                                    

Lovingly submitted,

The Family