Dilcie Gardin

Dilcie Gardin, age 90, of Suwanee, GA passed away Thursday, May 11, 2017. French Pankey and Dilcy Leak Pankey bore 10 children, 2 sets of twins in the 10. Oldest to youngest: Pauline, Leola, Evangeline and Elestine, Alice, Sidney, French Jr, Argie, Daisy and Dilcie of which Daisy was stillborn. Mom's  twin. Dilcie was a farm girl and very much into her schoolwork. She grew up in church. Thomasville Baptist Church in Mt Gilead, North Carolina where she was born. Her parents were very loving yet strict in discipline which would serve Dilcie very well later in life! A drum majorette all the years of high school and she was known for handling the baton! In her 60’s she was still amazing handling her baton I bore witness. Immediately following graduation the southern beauty headed north circa 1947 to start her adult life. Her dream of becoming a fashion designer was heavy on her mind. She held fashion shows in the rural Deep South having sewn all the garments and couture in the 40’s. Her flair and style was timeless and flawless! She would do anything to help another in need. This was inscribed into her by her parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and her siblings. She went the extra mile always. She attended Rene Stark’s House of Style and really sealed the deal to become a seamstress and a lady in Newark, New Jersey. There wasn't much she couldn't do except she never could grasp riding a bicycle for some reason! She could toss a baton 25 feet in air whilst doing a cartwheel only to catch it never missing! Her stunning beauty captivated Sylvanus Gardin who was introduced to her by her sister Evangeline aka Bernice’s husband Adolphus. They wed in circa 1954 and bore 4 children over time. Oldest to youngest: Gerald Sylvanus, Andre Lamar, Michael Salvatore, and Elvis. They would later move from Newark, New Jersey during the riots of 67 to South Plainfield, New Jersey thriving and striving to give their children a “better” life. We were well kept and never needing. In fact, Dilcie was that mom Carol Brady and Florida Evans who took in kids when their parents would put them out for bad behavior! Many a mornings I spent stepping over my brother’s friends crashed on the living room floor! She was also an expert getting their parents to cool off and take them back in! There's so much to say about this woman and I cannot stop the tears enough to write but I'll close with this. In 2006 Dilcie was publicly honored for serving over 40 years as a missionary Baptist! She would make me go with her as a child into hospitals, quarantine sections before aids had a name late 70’s, and she would pray for the sick relentlessly which taught me the power of unconditional love and prayer energy! I've had to have gone to 300 funerals and wakes with her! There were times at funeral homes when only, mom, myself, the funeral director, and the body were in the parlor because family's discarded the person they should have loved. I witnessed how these people some paralyzed, would sparkle when we entered their hospital rooms because she'd been going all along having established relationships with them already! Her works would've made Princess Diana seem a slouch that's how strong her love was! In her latter years she continued to be infectious and she loved music and to dance! She couldn't resist a laugh and pranks for fun to liven the room! Sense of humor is lightly speaking. Her voice was like Mahalia Jackson and the church choir was her baby along with being a deaconess for decades to backtrack a moment from First Timothy Baptist Church, Green Pastures Baptist Church, New Hope Baptist Church all in New Jersey. Up until her last days she was still shimmy shaking a shoulder in her hospital bed both at the hospital and here with me in her hospital bed at home! Hearing is the last to go and she got an earful from me and communicated very exceptional with her eyes! Dilcie is survived by her children named above and her bestie granddaughter Tanika Gardin, Briana Knight Gardin, Alexis Gardin, Synome Rae Gardin, great grands Thomas, Ta Janaè, Elanna and Elias (also twins like her) Marisa and Isaiah. A wonderful daughter in law Willie Mae Smith and so many others who were like her kids! All is well with her soul! People are entitled to opinions and everyone has them. This is Dilcie’s story. This is her song. I Am her voice telling her truth. Blessed assurance she's home now brand new! Friday, January 14, 1927~Thursday, May 11, 2017

 A graveside service will be held on Wednesday, May 17, 2017 at 11:30 a.m. at GA National Cemetery in Canton, GA. The family will receive friends on Tuesday, May 16, 2017 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Flanigan Funeral Home in Buford.

To express condolences, please sign our online guest book at www.flaniganfuneralhome.com.  Arrangements By: Junior E. Flanigan of Flanigan Funeral Home and Crematory, Buford, GA (770) 932-1133.