Emma Lou Griffith Labeyrie, 63

SEAFORD - Emma Lou Griffith Labeyrie, of Seaford, died Monday, May 5, 2008, at home with her family by her side. She was 63.

She was born Oct. 22, 1944, in Mitchell County, N.C., one of 13 children of the late Josh and Eva (McCourry) Peterson.

She attended Tipton Hill (N.C.) elementary and high schools.

Emma moved to Baltimore in 1964, where she worked for Union Trust Bank.

She moved to Hurlock, Md., in 1978, where she worked for Provident State Bank in Preston, Md., and Federalsburg, Md., for 20 years from 1980 to 2000, when she continued her long and courageous battle with breast cancer.

Emma was a very endearing and caring person, a friend to all who knew her, always an ear to listen and very rarely sharing her pain or worries.

She will be eternally missed by all who knew her.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Griffith, in 1997; brothers, Clark Peterson, infant brother, Buster A. Peterson of Dumfries, Va., Charles L. Peterson of Rock Island, Tenn., Billy A. Peterson of Hurlock, Md.; and infant daughter, Eva Eileen Sappington of Baltimore.

She is survived by her husband, Gerard J. Labeyrie of Seaford; a son, Marr D. "Trey" Sappington III of Hurlock; two daughters, Holly Christine Sappington Peterson of North Carolina and Lorra Benet Sappington White of Bishopville; four grandchildren, Rebecca Shindler, Morgan Sappington, Dylan White and Tanner White; five stepchildren, Mike Griffith, Carla Turner, Gail Wilson, Danielle Stewart and Kimberly Mitchell; 10 step-grandchildren; eight brothers and sisters, Josh Peterson Jr. of Spencer, Tenn., James Michael Peterson of Bakersville, N.C., Marjorie Webb of Sparta, Tenn., Beulah Joyner of Rocky Mount, N.C., Ula Shrewsbury of Mechanicsville, Va., Jeralyne "Jerri" Baxley of Mount Pleasant, N.C., Carolyn Street of Gray, Tenn., and Irene Peterson of Green Mountain, N.C.; many nieces and nephews; and her best friend, Lacy Roberts of Hebron, Md.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Friday in the Framptom Funeral Home in Federalsburg, with the Rev. Ruth Tull officiating.

Interment will follow in Hillcrest Cemetery in Federalsburg.

Friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday and from 1 to 2 p.m. Friday in the funeral home.

Serving as pallbearers will be Marr D. "Trey" Sappington III, John Turner, Michael Griffith, Chardo Wilson, Joe Peterson and Mark Behan.

Donations may be made in her memory to Delaware Hospice, Inc., 600 N. Dupont Highway, Georgetown, DE 19947; or Hope Lodge, 636 Lexington St., Baltimore, MD 21201.