Lillie Mae Tanner Stokes

AIKEN - Mae Stokes, 83, passed away December 14, 2017. Born Lillie Mae Tanner on March 27, 1934, she was the daughter of the late Manning and Emma Tanner.  She grew up on the family farm in Nichols, GA and moved to Clemson, SC after she met and married William “Bill” Lawrence Stokes of Union, SC. They eventually settled in Aiken where she lived in the same house for over sixty years. She raised two children and supported the family by working for many years at JB White, remaining with the company for several more years after it was purchased by Dillard’s.  She remained an active seamstress with clients all over the Aiken area. At all times she had a spare bedroom full of items waiting for alterations and a phone or doorbell constantly ringing. She laughingly referred to her house as “Grand Central Station.” She worked nearly every day of her life and never lost her energy or quick wit. Mae nearly lost her life forty years ago to breast cancer. At the time, she said her goal was to live to see the birth of her first grandchild. Not only did she do that, she beat cancer and lived to see the birth of three more grandchildren as well as four great-grandchildren. Mae, or “Meme” as the grands called her, will be remembered for her delicious southern cooking, amazing green thumb, aggressive hugs, unstoppable work ethic, sassy humor, incredible generosity and the way she would do anything for her loved ones. She was the true matriarch of the family and will be missed dearly.  If there are no violets in Heaven, you can believe that there will be, soon. She leaves behind a son, Ted William Stokes, and daughter-in-law, Tequilla “Kelia” Lawson Stokes, of Anderson, SC, as well as four grandchildren, Amy Stokes Gibbs (Aaron) of Olive Branch, MS, Bobby Wesley “Wes” Carter (Rachel) of Saybrook, IL, Tanner William Stokes (Lauren) of Anderson, SC, and Emily Michelle Garrison (John) of Holly Ridge, NC. She was also the proud great-grandmother of Avery Laine Gibbs, Kara Mae Garrison, Austin Laine Garrison, and Ansel Abram Gibbs.   She was preceded in death by her husband and by her daughter, Bertha Mae “Bert” Stokes Carter, as well as her parents and seven siblings. The family will receive friends at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 17, 2017 at Memorial Baptist Church, Aiken, SC with the service immediately following at 2:00 p.m. The Reverend Charles Jenkins will be officiating. Interment will follow in Aiken Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Memorial Baptist Church, 3100 Vaucluse Road, Aiken, SC, 29801.SHELLHOUSE FUNERAL HOME, INC., 924 HAYNE AVE., AIKEN, SC. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.shellhousefuneralhome.com To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Lillie Mae Tanner Stokes, please visit our flower store.