Nina Margaret Midget, 98

MIDDLETOWN - Nina Margaret Midget, age 98, of Middletown, passed away peacefully at home with her granddaughter by her side on May 1, 2009. Nina was born on April 2, 1911, in Sylva, N.C., the oldest daughter of the late Mary and Lee McDowell. Nina moved to New York in 1940 and lived in Mt. Vernon and New Rochelle, N.Y., before moving to Dover in 1975. She worked at Eastern Wings Aircraft, now General Motors in Tarrytown, N.Y., assembling aircraft parts during World War II. She had lived the past 16 years with her granddaughter and her family, Antionette, Gregory, Tayair and al-Malik Blake in Middletown. She was a member of Bibleway Temple COGIC in Dover and faithfully attended Prayer Temple Ministries in Newark, until her health began to fail in 2008. She recently celebrated her 98th birthday with friends and family from North Carolina, New York, Virginia and Maryland. She was preceded in death by many family members including two husbands, Joseph Mabry Sr. and Louis Midget; three brothers, James, Glen, and Henry McDowell; sister, Hilda Davis; three sons, Pablo and Joseph Mabry, Jr. and Ernest Midget; daughter, Ernestine Shepherd; three granddaughters, Gloria Cross, Belinda Carolina and Debra Clarke; one grandson, Edward Carolina Jr.; great-grandson, Kevin Bracey; and great-granddaughter, Tamika Graves. Nina leaves her love and legacy to her three daughters, Myrtle Burgess, Atlanta, Ga., Gleneve Carolina, Asheville, N.C., and Annette Body, Canton, N.C.; 20 grandchildren, 46 great-grandchildren, 36 great-great-grandchildren, one great-great-great-grandchild, and many nieces, nephews, and friends, George and the staff at the Jean Birch Senior Center and to Debbie, Sherry, Zena, Darlene, Susan and Rev. Bob from Heartland Hospice who cared and comforted her at home during her final days. Viewing will be from 5-7 p.m. Friday, May 8, at the Bennie Smith Funeral Home, 717 W. Division Street, Dover. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Saturday, May 9, at the Bibleway Temple COGIC, Kirkwood Street, Dover, where friends may call one hour prior to the service. Interment will be in the Lakeside Cemetery, Dover. Letters of condolence may be sent, and guestbook may be signed at www.benniesmithfuneralhome.com.