Hope Mills Safrit

Obituary: Hope Mills Safrit, 93, formerly of Kannapolis died Tuesday, August 3, 2010 at Piedmont Crossing Retirement Community in Thomasville. She was born May 23, 1917 in Iredell County, the daughter of William Pressly Mills and Lillie Eugenia Kirkman Mills. She was the ninth of ten children. She was preceded in death by her husband, Walter Miller Safrit on June 14, 2003. She was educated in the Salisbury City Schools, Erskine College and the University of Kentucky. Hope was a language arts teacher with the Kannapolis City Schools System. She treasured the influence she strived to have had on her students and felt deeply her responsibility for them. "Students are our future. Education is a must." She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, sorority for professional educators. She was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church where she was heavily involved including being a member of the Exodus Sunday school class, United Methodist Women , Methodist Youth Fellowship advisor, Bill Jolley Bible Circle member and Pastor-Parish Committee member. She was a charter member of the Pilot Club and Clarice Woman's Club. She had been involved with the Senior Center activities at Cannon Memorial YMCA, Monday Morning Book Club member, Habitat for Humanity, Cabarrus Literacy Council, Bible Teaching Association and Friends of the Library. She received the Mary Mildred Sullivan Award in May of 2004 from Erskine College for having "shown a spirit of love for and helpfulness to her fellow human beings." Hope and her husband, Walter moved to Piedmont Crossing in Thomasville in August 1996. Their life continued to be productive in world travel and community activities in this retirement community. Funeral services will be held on Friday , August 6, 2010 at 10:00 AM at Trinity United Methodist Church officiated by the Rev. Judy White and the Rev. Sarah Snell . Burial will follow at Carolina Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 PM Thursday at Whitley's Funeral Home. She is survived by her daughter Susan Safrit Wallace and husband Clifford N. Wallace III, her son Walter M. (Wally) Safrit II and wife Lynne Scott Safrit, grandchildren: Elizabeth Hope Wallace and husband Christopher Scislowicz, Carrie Wallace Brown and husband Christopher, Leslie Wallace Taylor and husband Brandon, Walter M. (Miller) Safrit III and wife Laura, Elizabeth Scott Safrit and John Pressly Wilson Safrit and Great Grandson Ethan Scott Safrit, son Of Miller and Laura Safrit. Memorials may be made to Trinity United Methodist Church Capital Funds, 416 East First Street, Kannapolis, NC 28083 or Erskine College, Centennial Class Scholarship Fund, PO Box 608, Due West, SC 29639. Online condolences may be left at www.whitleysfuneralhome.com
Visitation: 6:00 to 8:00 PM Thursday August 5, 2010 Whitley's Funeral Home

Service: 10:00 AM Friday August 6, 2010 Trinity United Methodist Church

Interment: Carolina Memorial Park Kannapolis, NC