Mrs. Patricia "Patsy" Adeline Canipe Greene was born in Cleveland County on June 14, 1929. After 85 years of a rich, active, and blessed life she went to be with the Lord peacefully on March 2, 2015 at Gaston Memorial Hospital in Gastonia with her family by her side.

A native of Cleveland County, Patsy was born the third and baby daughter of the late John William and Etta Beatty Costner Canipe. She was the granddaughter of the late George and Winnie Navey Canipe and William and Mary Turner Costner. Her two loving sisters, Norma Marie Canipe Kiser and Mary Elizabeth Canipe Cash, preceded her in death. She was also preceded in death by a nephew, Clifton "Wayne" Kiser and a great-great-niece, who was her namesake, Ruby Adeline "Adel" Lawing. She was a wonderful mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who loved her family and friends.

Patsy grew up on a farm near Fallston, NC and she loved to share her farm adventures with her family. She attended Fallston High School where she was a member of the basketball team and graduated in 1948. While in high school, she met the love of her life, Russell Eugene Greene, a Marine who had just returned from serving in World War II. They met on a blind date arranged by friends and were married on January 29, 1949 and remained married for almost 52 years. Her husband, who died on November 10, 2000, preceded her in death.

Patsy worked outside of the home with J.C. Penney and was a Department Manager at the Shelby store for 38 years until she retired in 2001. She also worked at Goody's Department Store in Shelby for another 5 years and retired at the age of 75.

Russell and Patsy were blessed with one child, Aleta Michele, who was loved dearly and she became the center of their life. After Aleta's graduation from Shelby High School in 1968, Patsy became very active with her husband in AMVETS and AMVETS AUXILIARY and they spent the next 32 years side-by-side serving and caring for the veterans in the State of North Carolina doing community service work in the VA Hospitals in NC. She was local President at AMVETS Auxiliary Post #42 several times and was NC State Department President for three terms. She held every office on the local level and she also served as National Executive Committee (NEC) person on the National Level of AMVETS AUXILIARY.

They visited over 35 states serving AMVETS. Together they accumulated over 4,000 hours of Community Service. Patsy received many honors and awards through AMVETS but she was so proud to receive the J.C. Penney Community Service Award in 1989, 1993, and 1998 for her work with veterans. She was also a member of Bethel Baptist Church in Shelby, NC.

Patsy is survived by her loving daughter, Aleta Michele Greene Sutherland and her husband Tom of Shelby, with whom she made her home after her husband's death and who cared for her until her death. She is also survived by her grandson Rev. Hershal Eugene Spangler III "Tripp" and wife Angela of Shelby and a granddaughter Traci Michele Spangler Floyd of Shelby; four great-grandchildren, Patricia Lou Spangler, Jonathan Eugene Spangler, Ethan Thomas Spangler and Alexis Katelyn Floyd of Shelby; three special nieces; Lydia Cash Mullis (Jim) of Gastonia, Martha Kiser Biggerstaff Phillips (Ed) of Shelby and Maryetta Kiser Wease (Tim) of Lawndale; one special nephew, John Kiser (Robin) of Boiling Springs; six great-nieces, Renae Mullis Lawing, Anissa Mullis Mobley of Gastonia, Allison Kiser Lyons of Fuquay-Varina, Adrienne Kiser of Sarasota, Fla., Amanda Wease Philbeck of Fort Mill, SC, Stephanie Kiser of Chapel Hill; four great-nephews, Todd Biggerstaff of Lexington, Travis Biggerstaff of Gastonia, Timothy "Tim" Wease Jr. of Shelby, and Matthew Kiser of Statesville.

The family would like to thank the wonderful people at Carillon Assistant Living in Shelby, Peak Resources in Cherryville, and Peak Resources in Gastonia for their care and support.

Visitation: The family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Friday, March 6, 2015 at Cecil Burton Funeral Home of Shelby and other times at the home at 802 Charles Road, Shelby.

Funeral Service: 11:00 A.M. Saturday, March 7, 2015 at Cecil Burton Funeral Home Chapel; burial will follow at Cleveland Memorial Park.

Officiated by: Dr. Harold E. Fite and Dr. Timothy Sims.

Funeral Home: Cecil Burton Funeral Home and Crematory is serving the family.

Memorials: Memorials may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 75817, Topeka, KS 66675; National World War II Memorial, 17S & SW, Washington, DC 20006; Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Fund, 2600 Virginia Ave., NW, Washington, DC; or the Concerned Veterans for America, 1405 S. Fern St., #197, Arlington, VA.

Guest Registry is available at www.cecilmburtonfuneralhome.com