Mary Artis Washington, 76, of 2008 Hickorywood Drive, Suffolk, was called home from her earthly labor to be a heavenly angel on Wednesday, March 5, 2014, at Sentara Obici Hospital. She was a native of Suffolk and the daughter of the late Elliott Artis and Mary Catherine Artis. She was preceded in death by sisters, Priscilla Mitchell, Elizabeth Hyman, Margaret Doughty, Flossie Jones and Melvinia Faulconn; brothers, Leon Artis, James Artis, Zebedee Artis, Alfonza Artis.

She was a 1956 graduate of East Suffolk High School. She retired after 30-plus years at Hofheimer’s Shoes and Dillard’s Department Stores. Mrs. Washington was a member of Oak Grove Baptist Church, where she was a member of the Awareness Ministry, Senior Usher Board, Sunday School, Pastor’s Aid, Hour of Power and Senior Citizen Choir.

She leaves to cherish her memory her husband, Curtis J. Washington Sr.; two daughters, Jacqueline W. Hargrove, of Chesapeake, and Belinda Godwin (Aldrian Sr.) of Suffolk; two sons, Curtis J. Washington Jr., of Louisville, Ky., and Calvin Simmons (Jacqueline), of Suffolk; two sisters, Josephine Barnes, of Paducah, Ky., and Mattie Robinson of Suffolk; one brother, Philmore Artis of Portsmouth; 17 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

A funeral service will be held at noon, Saturday, March 8, 2014, at Oak Grove Baptist Church officiated by Dr. Anthony Copeland. Interment will be in Albert G. Horton Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery on Monday, March 10, 2014, at 2 p.m. Crocker Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. Condolences may be extended to the family at www.crockerfuneralhome.com.