Priscilla “Celia” Berzett Childs, 81, passed away at home on Saturday, November 26, 2022, surrounded by family and loved ones. Priscilla was born in Athens, AL, and graduated from Lawrence County High School where she played in the band and was a majorette. Following high school, she worked at Hays International and Northrop in Huntsville on the NASA Apollo 13 project prior to meeting and marrying her former husband, Lloyd, who was a contract engineer, at which point she moved to Germany. She was blessed to have spent many years seeing the world and welcoming visits from family and friends while living in Germany, Oklahoma, Maryland, Michigan, and Kentucky, and one more year back to Germany. She raised her family in a loving home through those traveling years before settling back home in Huntsville.
She was an award-winning realtor with Ben Porter Real Estate and Rise Real Estate before retiring her real estate license to go to work as an Office Services Supervisor with the City of Huntsville Community Development department. After years of dedicated service, she retired in 2012 to be able to spend more time with her family and visiting her daughter and only grandson in Georgia.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Donald and Opal Berzett. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Patti and Dean Smith; her son, Ty Childs; her sisters, Linda Huckleberry and Tammie Berzett (Greg Jones); one grandson, Tripp Smith; two bonus granddaughters, Claire and Mary Grace Smith; nieces and many extended family members and her wonderful caregivers.
Priscilla, lovingly called Celia by family and friends and Gram by her grandchildren, loved her family passionately. She loved life and was generous, kind, and beautiful on the outside and inside. She sang in the church choir at First United Methodist Church of Decatur with her loving partner, Roger Gratwick (deceased 2014), was an avid Alabama football fan, and loved dancing and spending time at the beach. She will be deeply missed by all those privileged to love her.
Visitation will be Friday, December 2nd from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Laughlin Service Funeral Home in Huntsville, and a chapel service will follow at 1. Burial will be in Bethel Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to CurePSP or Therapy Partners Huntsville.
