A graveside funeral service will be conducted Monday at 11 AM at Pinewood Memorial Park. The family will greet friends immediately following the service at the cemetery.
Mrs. Zills, daughter of the late William Pickens and Evelyn Letson Claborn, was a native of Lawrence County, Alabama. She grew up in the Town Creek community in Alabama. In 1974 she made her home in Pitt County, eventually settling near Grimesland. She was employed as the Director of Kiddie Kollege at People’s Baptist Church and later at Kids Kountry Day Care, where the staff became her family. While there, she served as director for 30 years, watching babies and children grow alongside of Ms. Karen Hardee.
She retired in 2014. She was an active member of the Grimesland Free Will Baptist Church and had been a resident of River Trace Nursing & Rehabilitation Center for the past three years.
In addition to her parents, Mrs. Zills was preceded in death by her husband, Leldon B. Zills, an infant son, Andy Jerome Zills, and a brother, Charles Claborn.
She is survived by daughter, Donna Sue Zills; granddaughter, Jessica Zills; great grandchildren, Yaheli, Gabriel, Halel, and Uzi and their father, Tzvi ben Daniel; brothers, Jerry and Larry Claborn; and her loving dog, “Buttons”.
The family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff of River Trace Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Washington, NC. With special thanks to Melinda, Unique, and her adopted son, Maurice.
