Mildred Elaine Crews Staggs
October 17, 1933 – August 30, 2026
Mildred Elaine Crews Staggs, born October 17, 1933, in Lawrence County, Tennessee, passed away on August 30, 2026, surrounded by the family whose lives were forever shaped by hers.
Elaine lived a life centered on people. She loved deeply, gave generously, served faithfully, and always seemed determined to make life a little better, and often a lot more fun, for those around her.
She worked as a waitress and in factory work, but some of her most meaningful years were spent with Elk and Duck Rivers Region Social Work Department as an Outreach Field Coordinator. Helping others was more than her job; it was simply who she was. She assisted low-income and elderly families with housing, utilities, firewood, Head Start enrollment, food assistance, WIC, and other resources, always willing to stand in the corner of someone who needed help.
Elaine also loved politics and the excitement of an election. She was known to rise before daylight to pass out flyers, knock on doors, and support candidates. Even at NHC Brink, she continued reminding everyone to vote and was usually happy to tell them who she thought deserved their vote.
She loved adventure just as much as she loved people. When her daughters wanted to see snow, she loaded them into the car and drove to Canada. She dressed up for Halloween, took children on hayrides, and rarely turned down an adventure dreamed up by her grandchildren, even allowing one 14-year-old granddaughter to drive her car to a neighboring town.
To her grandchildren, Elaine had a gift for making ordinary moments unforgettable. Some of their earliest memories include picnics, trips to the Rotary Park pool, and looking through the back window of the car as they drove away, watching her wave and blow kisses until she disappeared from sight. Blowing kisses as loved ones left became one of her sweetest traditions, and it was something she continued until the very end.
That gesture captured Elaine perfectly. She never wanted anyone to leave without knowing they were loved. She freely told her family, friends, nurses, and caregivers, “I love you,” and she showed it just as freely.
Her family extended well beyond blood relatives. Through her family’s Foreign Exchange Students, Elaine gained even more grandchildren and great-grandchildren from around the world, whom she welcomed and loved as her own.
Elaine was also a devoted Dolly Parton fan, making Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library especially meaningful to her family. Having loved ones who were unable to read or write made the gift of literacy particularly close to her heart, and her great-grandchildren have been blessed by the program’s books since 1996.
Above all, Elaine loved her family, and she loved Jesus. Her family finds comfort in knowing that the woman who spent a lifetime helping others, creating adventures, blowing kisses, and making sure people knew they were loved has now gone home to the Savior she loved.
Elaine is survived by her daughter, Patricia Norman Littrell, and son-in-law Larry of Loretto, Tennessee; son, Wayne Maultsby of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee; stepdaughter, Lori Staggs Smith (Stan) of Hohenwald, Tennessee; and stepsons, Tommy “Tinker” Staggs (Sonjia) of Hohenwald, Tennessee, and Keith Staggs of Hohenwald, Tennessee.
She is survived by her grandchildren, Miranda Littrell Cruce (Neal) of Loretto, Tennessee; Alicia Littrell Roy (Matt) of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee; Lena Littrell Kilburn (Zach) of Leoma, Tennessee; Danielle Howell Smith (Allen) of Woodbury, Tennessee; Katlyn Maultsby of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee; Brittney Miller (Justin) of Florence, Alabama; A.J. Howell of Woodbury, Tennessee; Austin Maultsby (Maria) of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee; and Crews Maultsby of Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Elaine also leaves behind fifteen great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews, as well as many beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren from around the world through her family’s Foreign Exchange Students.
She is also survived by her sisters, Margie Crews White of Lewisburg, Tennessee, and Jeanette Crews Posey of Decatur, Alabama.
Elaine was preceded in death by her daughter, Debbie Norman Howell; her father, Joseph Franklin Crews; her mother, Lillian Bassham Crews; her brother, Joseph Edward Crews; and her sisters, Joyce Crews Beeler and Mary Jean Crews Stamps.
The family would also like to recognize Elaine’s dear friends, Ms. Linda Smith and Mr. Tony Couch, whose friendship meant so much to her.
The family extends heartfelt gratitude to Elaine’s sweet CNAs and nurses at NHC Brink, especially her “special girls,” who lovingly cared for their “Sassy” and were true heroes in her eyes. We are also deeply thankful to Glendora Fleeman, Nurse Practitioners Kim Crain and Holly Potts, Caris Hospice, and the Intensive Care Unit staff at Southern Tennessee Regional Hospital for the kindness, compassion, and care shown to Elaine and her family. We will forever be grateful to those who took the time not only to care for her, but to know her, laugh with her, listen to her stories, and make her feel loved and valued. Elaine would want each of you to hear her say one more time, “Thank you for everything.”
Elaine spent nearly 93 years leaving pieces of herself in the lives of other people. Those who knew her will remember her determination, her generosity, her sense of adventure, her strong opinions, her servant’s heart, her faith, and most of all, the way she loved.
And somewhere in the memories of the people who were fortunate enough to call her Granny, there will always be a woman standing in the distance, smiling, waving, and blowing one last kiss.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Elaine’s memory, helping give another child the gift of reading that meant so much to her family.
Funeral services will be held at 1:00 pm on Wednesday, September 2, 2026 at Loretto Memorial Chapel with Keith Barnett, Brock Kilburn, and Chris Blalock officiating. Burial will follow in Fall River Cemetery. Visitation with the family will be on Tuesday, September 1, 2026 from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Loretto Memorial Chapel.
