Celessie Avery Collins Caldwell, the oldest daughter of the late Lorain Avery, Sr. and Ora Graham Avery, was born September 10, 1928. She departed her earthly home on April 30, 2019 at Brookdale South Charlotte Senior Living Center.

Educated in Mecklenburg County, she graduated from Plato Price High School in 1947 and went on to receive her bachelor's degree in Home Economics from North Carolina A&T State University. In 32 years as an educator, she taught at Jefferson High School in York, SC, Armour High School in Acme, NC, her high school Alma Mater –Plato Price High School, Northwest Junior High and ended her career in 1990 at Randolph Junior High. In addition to secondary education, she taught adult sewing at both Bethlehem Center and J.T. Williams.

She leaves to celebrate her life daughters Barbara (Wayne) Ellis of Waxhaw, NC; Deloris Chisley of Monroe, NC; son Steve (Maxine) Pipkin of Las Vegas, NV and stepson Calvin Caldwell of Charlotte; a sister Pearlee Mauney Coefield of Charlotte; a brother Lorain Avery, Jr. of New York City; grandsons Brian (Tanya) Ellis and Demetrius Pipkin, both of New York City; granddaughter Anjelique Pipkin of Las Vegas, NV; great-grandson Ellington Ellis of New York City; and a number of cousins, nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Johnnie Robert Avery, Sr., her sister Annie Mae Grier and her husband Louis Jeremiah Caldwell.

The Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, May 4, 2019, Delta Sigma Theta Omega Omega Service at 11:30 a.m., viewing at 12:00 pm and service at 1:00 pm at Memorial Presbyterian Church, 2600 Beatties Ford Rd, Charlotte, NC.