Elsie “Sissy” Lucretia Cleve Dunn | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Mrs. Elsie "Sissy" Lucretia Cleve Dunn, age 83, a resident of South Hill, VA and a former resident of Washington, NC and Winterville, NC, passed away Sunday, June 29, 2025 at Pine View Assisted Living Center.

    Graveside services will be at 11:00 AM Saturday, July 5, 2025, at Oakdale Cemetery, Washington, NC and will be conducted by Rev. Christopher Helton.

    Sissy was born in Beaufort County on September 7, 1941 to the late Abie and Virginia Walker Cleve. She was raised in Vanceboro, NC. She was a 1959 graduate of Farm Life High School. She was a graduate of the James Walker Memorial School of Nursing. She worked as an RN for many years. On February 28, 1965 she married Kay Johson Dunn, Sr. They were married for 53 years. Sissy and Kay spent their retirement years camping and enjoying time with their 9 grandchildren. Her faith and church were important to Sissy. She was raised Episcopalian, attending St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Vanceboro. During adulthood, she attended a United Methodist Church in Kenansville followed by Winterville Christian Church and Ayden Christian Church. Sissy was a member of Warren Chapel United Methodist Church in Blounts Creek, NC until her move to South Hill, VA where she attended South Hill United Methodist Church.

    Sissy is survived by two daughters, Kathy Reese and husband Bryant of South Hill, VA; Nancy Dunn and husband Christopher Helton of Seven Hills, OH; two sons, Carl Dunn and wife Maria of Washington, NC; John Dunn and wife Susan of Chesapeake, VA; nine grandchildren, Paige Reese Harrson (Andrew), Kaitlin Reese, Jessie Dunn (Tyler Agnes), Baylor Dunn, Hannah Dunn-Helton, Caroline Dunn-Helton, Adam Dunn, Tripp Dunn, and Kaelynn Dunn; one great granddaughter, Scottie Harrison; two sisters-in-law, Marjorie Dunn of Winterville, NC, and Jeanette Dunn of Bend, OR. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by one sister, Betsy Cleve, two brothers-in-law, Jimmy Dunn and Joe Dunn and one sister-in-law, Laurie Dunn.

    In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Christmount Christian Assembly, 222 Fern Way, Black Mountain, NC 28711 or https://www.christmount.org.

    Crowder-Hite-Crews Funeral Home and Crematory of South Hill, VA and Paul Funeral Home & Crematory of Washington, NC are serving the Dunn family.