Essie Nether Pinnix Laughlin, age 90, of Sedalia, North Carolina was born on May 2, 1929 and departed this life on December 15, 2019 at The Hospice Home in Burlington, North Carolina after a lengthy illness. The visitation and funeral mass will be held at St. Mary's Catholic Church located at 1414 Gorrell St. in Greensboro, NC on Friday, December 20, 2019. Visitation will take place 11:00 to 11:45 a.m. prior to the funeral mass. The funeral mass will begin at noon. Following the mass, the Interment will be held at Forest Lawn Cemetery 3901 Forest Lawn Drive in Greensboro, NC 27455 followed by a repast at St. Mary's Catholic Church Parish Center. Essie was referred to by many names because of her relationships with a variety of people. For her children she was 'Ma'. She was also called 'Neat'; a nickname given to her by her late husband Hill. For others she was 'Baby', because she was the "baby" in the family. Cousins called her Aunt (lovingly said "Aint") Neat. Some knew her as "Bae Bae". Still others knew her simply as Ms. Essie. Essie was born in Caswell County to the late Hallie Byrd and John Henry Pinnix. She attended Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Catholic School in Greensboro, North Carolina and later graduated from Dudley High School in 1948. Essie married Hill Lee Laughlin. They had four children; Vincent, Winfred, Veronica and Edwina. The family resided at 1008 Willow Road for many years. Essie was a solid homemaker, instilling religious values, discipline and good healthy eating habits in her family. Later, Essie enrolled in Maco Beauty School where she obtained her Cosmetology degree. She owned her own business, Laughlin's Beauty Shop that was located in the back of the residence in Greensboro for over 25 years. Essie also taught courses at Palmer Memorial Institute in Sedalia, NC. to aspiring cosmetologists. She later moved to Sedalia with her family in 1969 to make her new home and continue her profession in that community. Essie would remain in Sedalia for 50 years until her time of death. Essie loved her flower and vegetable gardens. She found solace in digging in the soil, planting seeds and later waiting patiently for that first sprout or bloom to appear. Her flowers adorned her porch area in the Sedalia home and her flower beds were always meticulously kept. She canned, froze and cooked the vegetables that she grew in her garden. She particularly took pride in sharing her harvest with friends and family. Essie's other hobbies included sewing for her long, tall girls. She found comfort in sitting down at the sewing machine making, dresses, pant suits and even a formal dress when prom time came around. She found joy in doing simple things for others that made them happy. Essie was a longtime member of the church associated with her childhood school, Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church, now St. Mary's Catholic Church, on Gorrell Street in Greensboro, NC. All of her children were baptized in the Catholic Church. She attended regularly until her health no longer allowed her to attend. In lieu of the going to church, Essie prayed the rosary and was deeply spiritual. Many times, she would have meditative moments and when asked what she was thinking about or why she was so quiet and she would say she was ''just thankful'' for the day and she would remind others to do the same. Essie is preceded in death by her mother and father, Hallie and John Henry; her husband, Hill Lee; her son, Winfred; her brothers, Hubert and Sidney; and her sister Elsie. Essie leaves to mourn her only remaining sister Pauline Wright, her eldest son and daughter, Vincent and Veronica (Ronnie), and her youngest daughter Edwina who lived with her for 25 years and was the primary caregiver when Essie's health began to decline. Essie has several grandchildren and great-grandchildren along with numerous nieces and nephews. There are numerous friends that were special for Essie over the years – Ms. Stover, Ms. Virginia, Paul Rybos and many, many others. In lieu of flowers please make donations to The Hospice Home 918 Chapel Hill Road in Burlington, North Carolina 27215. Phone – 336 532-0180 in remembrance of Essie Laughlin. Website: https://www.hospiceac.org/