Obituaries

Little Silver – Leci (McAbee) Croker, 79 passed away Sunday December 10, 2017 at Sunnyside Manor in Wall, New Jersey. 

Leci was born in Anderson County, South Carolina, to the late Luther and Alene McAbee. She was predeceased by her husband, the love of her life, Ben Croker Sr. Surviving are her daughter and son-in-law Laney and Baden Chace, Little Silver, NJ and son and daughter-in-law Ben Croker Jr. and Gena Walter, Greensboro, North Carolina and three grandchildren Hailey and Charlsea Chace and Trey Croker.

Leci spent her youth in the Liberty and Greenville, South Carolina area attending nursing school at Furman University. She met her true love Ben in the early 60s and they were married in 1962. Ben’s job moved them throughout North Carolina, to New York City where they settled in Little Silver, NJ and raised their family and finally to Greensboro, NC. Ben and Leci retired to Dallas, Georgia and spent many happy days riding around in Ben’s Jeep on Brushy Mountain. After Ben’s death, Leci returned to Little Silver.

Leci enjoyed meeting new people whether it was in local charitable organizations for which she volunteered and served on their boards in NJ: Newcomers Club, Junior League of Monmouth County, Monmouth County Office of Social Services (MCOSS), Monmouth Center for Vocational Rehabilitation, Monmouth Day Care Center Auxiliary and Pollack Clinic Auxiliary of Monmouth Medical Center or her new found passions in NC: the Triad Orchid Society and as a Realtor for Preston & Geraci and the local Junior League of Greensboro and Newcomers Club. In addition to her family, some of Leci’s greatest joys were playing bridge and growing orchids with Ben in their greenhouse and competing in orchid shows. She still eagerly played bridge up until several months before her death thanks to bridge volunteer John at The Chelsea.

The family would like to thank the lovely caregivers at Sunnyside Manor, The Chelsea at Tinton Falls and Meridian Rehabilitation in Shrewsbury for their compassionate care and friendship to Leci.

A memorial gathering will take place on Sunday, December 17, 2017 from 12 to 2:30 pm, with a prayer service at 2, at Thompson Memorial Home, 310 Broad Street, Red Bank, NJ. A private burial will be held in Dallas, Georgia. In lieu of flowers, please consider buying yourself a beautiful orchid to enjoy or a donation in Leci’s memory to your favorite charity or the Alzheimer’s Foundation.