Laurette Toomey
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Laurette Creighton (Laurie) Toomey passed away on September 28, surrounded as always by love and admiration of her family, and comforted by the memory of nearly a century of friendships. She was born in Detroit, Michigan, on March 10, 1923, to Francis Leonard Creighton and Laurette Kirk Creighton. Her brother Francis and sister Thelma predeceased her. Laurette was married to Robert E. Toomey for nearly sixty years until his death in 2001. Together they raised four children: Robert Creighton (Louisa Burriss), Carole Laurette (Kip Kiser), Richard Kirk (Linda Hawes), and Jeannette Elizabeth. She was a proud and loving grandmother to Katie Doubek (Mike), Simms Toomey (Paul Robertson), Shanley Gaither (Chris), Paige Caulder (Brandon), Katie Bynum (Dave Aznavorian), Emily Bartholomew (David), Julie Fraser (Jimmy), Casey Cole, Cami Cole, Philip Prescott, Moffatt Prescott, and Rich Prescott. And she was always delighted by visits from any of her great-grandchildren: Wade Thompson, Avery Doubek, Henry Gaither, Laurie Kate Gaither, Mackensy Caulder, Brentlee Caulder, Evan Creech, and William Bartholomew. Aunt Laurie will be missed by her nieces and nephews: Gail Creighton Lobanoff, Andrea Creighton Hodges, Martha Marie Lydon,, Catherine Alice Lydon, Peter Toomey Lydon, MaryBeth Toomey-Carson, John Robert Laschena, and Arlene Leschena Scott. Among her remarkable talents was the art of crocheting. Laurie gave away thousands of baby blankets to her church, to the Greenville Memorial Hospital newborn nursery, and to scores of family friends. She also gave away over ten thousand of her homemade cookies. She would have given away more of her famous English tarts, but family members intercepted them on the way out the door. There will be a graveside service for family members at Christ Church Episcopal in Greenville, where Laurie served and worshipped for most of her life. The family plans a memorial service with details to be announced at a later date. The family expresses its gratitude to the staff of NHC Parklane in Columbia and Abbey Road Hospice for their attentive care over the past few months. And special thanks to Dawn Kruse for her incredibly thoughtful kindness and friendship. Her family suggest memorials be made to the charity of your choice, to Christ Church Episcopal, or to the Robert E. Toomey Scholarship Fund at Duke University. Arrangements made by Mackey Funerals and Cremations at Century Drive.