Gene Cross Workman, of Cross Lanes, was greeted by her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Monday, May 14, 2018.
Born November 3, 1924, at Linwood, she was the eldest daughter of the late Charlie Craig Cross (1897-1963) and Ada Margarette Doyle Cross (1900-1998).
Gene grew up in Pocahontas County where she met her husband of 65 years, John Ellzey Workman I (1925-2011). Johnny and Gene attended Marlinton High School together and married June 29, 1946, one month after Johnny was honorably discharged from his tour of service with the Navy aboard the USS Dixie.
The couple moved to Cross Lanes in 1948 where they built a house and home together and raised a family of two sons. They lived the rest of their lives there.
Gene worked at the Diamond Department store in Charleston, but she is best known and “famous“ for her baking and cooking talents. Her homemade pies, cookies, hot rolls and sweet rolls made us all feel we were truly blessed that we were worthy of such treats! Her home was open to any who wished to enter. She was a very loving and caring person.
Gene and Johnny attended Cross Lanes United Metho-dist Church and shared their spiritual hearts with Mace United Methodist Church.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, John Ellzey Workman, I (1925-2012); sister, Marie Cross Galford, (1931-2015); and grandson, Brett Charles Workman (1987- 2014).
Those left to cherish her memory are sons, John Ellzey Workman II, and wife, Mona, and Craig Allen Workman, and wife, Donna; six grandsons; eight great-grandchildren; brother, Robert “Bob“ Cross; sister-in-law, Eveleigh Foster, very special cousins the Doyle families; and many other nieces, nephews and extended family members.
A Celebration of Life Service was held June 2 at the Mace United Methodist Church. Her final resting was in the Mingo Cemetery in Randolph County.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Alexander County Special Olympics, c/o Amy Pruett, 45 Wildoak Circle, Taylorsville, NC 28681. Gene’s grandson, Brett, participated in the Special Olympics at Alexander County for 14 years. The organization continues to be close to the hearts of the Workman family with a plaque awarded in Brett’s memory and in honor of a Special Olympian each year.
Online condolences may be made at www.cookefuneralhome.com