Obituary of Elizabeth Preston

Elizabeth Gregory Preston Elizabeth Gregory Preston of Charlotte, North Carolina, died at Southminster on Thursday, June 21st, after fighting breast and bone cancer for over nine years. Elizabeth was the youngest child of Arthur Wynns Gregory and Ruth Shaw Gregory. She was born in Halifax, North Carolina on July 10, 1937. Libby was raised in Halifax, attending Halifax County Schools. She attended St. Mary's College in Raleigh and was graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1959. One week after her graduation she married James Young Preston of Charlotte, then a law student at UNC. In 1961, Libby and Jim moved to Charlotte. She lived in Charlotte and at Lake Norman until her death. Libby had three children: Betsy P. Carr with husband Ray; Mary Lane P. Lennon with husband Tom; and James Brenton Preston with wife Deborah. Libby had six grandchildren: Erin Carr Hlasney, James Raymond Carr, James Preston Lennon, Mary Elizabeth Lennon, Margaret Gentilly Preston and James Eben Preston; and one great-grandchild, Paul James Hlasney. She is also survived by five of her six brothers and sisters--Jean Harrison Gregory, Jessie G. Lutz, Ruth G. Proctor, Arthur W. Gregory, Jr. and Frederick H. Gregory. In addition to her parents, Libby was predeceased by a brother, Henry Shaw Gregory. Libby worked as a librarian in public schools and her church and as an assistant in church pre-schools. Her many activities included reading, gardening, bridge and tennis. Reading was always her passion along with growing flowers and vegetables in the dirt. She enjoyed the cultural life of Charlotte--music, dance and drama. She and Jim traveled widely, visiting many countries in Europe as well as New Zealand, Australia, the Amazon and Canada and the American west. She loved the out-of-doors, was a hiker and camper, a beach person and a mountain person. Kind and generous, Libby volunteered in several charitable programs, including Thompson Children's Home, Winghaven and St. Peter's Soup Kitchen; and she gave generously to the charitable community. The family expresses their thanks and Libby's love for her many friends who were there for her all her life; and in her last illness provided sustenance and companionship. The family would also like to thank Dr. John Mahoney and Lisa Hollada, RN, and the entire staff at Carolinas Hematology and Oncology Associates; the staff at Southminster Retirement Center and Healthcare; and the staff with Hospice and Palliative Care of Charlotte for providing excellent care to Libby during her illness. Libby was a member of Christ Episcopal Church for nearly fifty years and greatly appreciated that church's outreach programs. A service of celebration of her life will be held at Christ Church, 1412 Providence Road at 11 o'clock on Monday, June 25th followed by a reception in the church's Blue Room. Memorials may be directed to the Thompson Home, Habitat for Humanity, The Nature Conservancy or the charity of one's choice.