Lillie Mae Moody

Lillie Mae Moody was a woman guided by her deep faith in God, her family, and her devotion to community and entrepreneurship. She was a loving "Mother," "Grandmother," "Ma Ma," "Nana," and "Grandma Nana to us all." Lillie was born in Darlington, SC, on December 8, 1936. She was the daughter of the late Lelia Russell McRaven and General Shack Pierce. Lillie passed away suddenly on Good Friday, April 3, 2026. To know Mamma was to LOVE her, as she was a positive driving force in her children's lives! Lillie was educated in Darlington County Public Schools. She left Mayo High School after having Jimmy, her first child. With her family's support, she worked to provide for jimmy, while her mother cared for Jimmy. She later met and married U.S. Army PVT Willie Ham, Sr. Three years later, Willie Jr. was born. As Willie, Sr. was stationed at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Baltimore, MD, the family moved to Baltimore, where they welcomed their four daughters, Cynthia, Phyllis, Sharon, and Samanthia. Lillie & Willie were divorced, but Lillie never skipped a beat; she continued to raise her six children as a single parent. She stressed the value of education and did her best to drill into her kids the importance of graduating from high school. As a result, five went on to college, three received BS & MS degrees, and five of her grandchildren received BS & MS degrees, as well. Watching her kids succeed was all the incentive Lillie needed to pursue her GED, but she did not stop there; she earned an AA degree from BCCC and a BS in Social Work from Morgan State University in 1990. It was during this time that Lillie met and married her second husband, (Carl Moody). Throughout her career, Lillie worked for various Human Services agencies but took pride as a Social Worker for Big Brothers & Big Sisters of Maryland, where she worked for fifteen years. In this role, she used her keen intuition to match at-risk children with mentors carefully. Her outstanding work earned her numerous accolades for her discernment. However, retirement did not slow her down. Determined to continue helping others, Lillie opened Steppingstone Child Care Center in her home, with the assistance of her children. Lillie provided love and care to over one hundred children during her fifteen years in business. Before retiring, Lillie joined the SEIU 500/Labor Union in Annapolis, MD, where she was part of a team of childcare providers instrumental in lobbying to unionize childcare providers. Lillie's two sons preceded her in death. Lillie leaves to cherish her memory: four daughters: Cynthia Ham-Oliver (Danny), Phyllis Middleton (Michael), Sharon Weeks, & Samanthia Ham; one daughter-in-law (Debbie McRaven); ten grandchildren (Sharda, Shannon, Gregory, Brittany, Phillip, Lil Jimmy, Andrew, Tiara, Marcus, and Daniece); thirteen great-grandchildren; six nieces (Carol, Linda, Sarah, Mapenzi, Betty Jean, and Ernestine); one nephew (Harvey); three special cousins (Alice, Janie Mae & Willie Mae); and a host of cousins, other relatives, and friends. And, her loving sister, Rena Mae Khamanza, whom she made it a priority to speak to every day! And, as God would have it, the last person Lillie spoke to before she closed her eyes was her one and only sister, Rena (Coop).

Tributes

Lillie Mae Moody

December 8, 1936 - April 3, 2026