Cecelia

Cash

After 95 beautiful, faith-filled years, Cecelia “Mama” Cash peacefully transitioned to her heavenly home on November 9, 2026, leaving behind a legacy of love, strength, and cherished relationships.

Born in Oxford, NC, on November 4, 1931, Cecelia was the youngest of two children. The daughter of a nurse, Cecelia, attended school at the Oxford Children’s home. Her early years helped shape her deep appreciation for family, friendship, close-knit community, and the importance of simply showing up for others, values she carried with her throughout her life.

In 1949, Cecelia married Sterling Cash and traded her life as a city girl from Oxford for life in the country with the man she loved. Together they embraced farm life, and Cecelia became part of a fun-loving, close-knit family that valued time together and rarely strayed far from home. It was there that Cecelia and Sterling built their life and raised the two they loved most: their daughters Nancy and Pam. They created a home that was always good for a memorable (and lively) conversation, a homecooked meal (most notably fried chicken and strawberry pretzel salad), and more than anything, a place to just “be”. To rest. To be filled up. To enjoy the presence of Cecelia’s sharp mind, quick wit, and sage life advice. Occasionally, if you were lucky, you’d get to see her wrangle an unsuspecting porch critter. A true sight to behold!

Life was sweet for Cecelia, literally and figuratively. In 1969, she began working as a Quality Control Supervisor at Russell Stover Candies, where her job was to make sure 20,000 pounds of chocolate met certain criteria each day. Some of her grandchildren’s fondest memories are visiting the factory after hours to sample the “throwaways.” Her professional world required precision and perfection; however, she didn’t expect the same of the people she loved. She offered grace, understanding, and acceptance. No matter what life brought our way, she was a steady source of comfort and a never-ending voice of reason.

After retirement, Cecelia traded chocolate for two hot dogs all the way on the back porch while having endless conversations with her granddaughters about the latest news story or Hallmark movie. She loved the comforts of home: working in her yard, visiting with friends, playing cards with the ladies in town, and staying active with water aerobics. She rarely missed a Sunday at Stovall Methodist Church, and some of her greatest joys came from time spent with her great-grandchildren.

It’s now time for our Momma/Mama to just “be” too. To rest. To be home and reunited with so many she longed to see. We will miss her dearly but find peace in the faith she passed down to us and the promise that one day, we’ll be together again.

Cecelia leaves behind a family who loved her dearly, her daughters, Nancy (Thornton) Stovall and Pam (Mike) Wilson; her grandchildren, Susan (Rick) Faint, Jeffrey (Sabine) Stovall, Carl (Stacia) Wilson, and Jennifer (Brandon) Girardin; and her great-grandchildren, Olivia, Davis, Sterling, and Mae.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Sterling Cash; her mother, Mamie Oakley; her father, John Sykes and her sister, Ellene Evans.

A graveside service celebrating Cecelia’s life will be held on Saturday, December 12, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at Stovall Memorial Cemetery. Family and friends are invited to join us as we gather to remember and celebrate Cecelia’s life.