Willa Mae Earley, 87, of Murphy passed away Thursday, May 24, 2018 in Athens, Tennessee.  She was a native and lifelong resident of Cherokee County. She worked for several years for Murphy Laundry. Willa Mae was a member of the Shoal Creek Baptist Church.

She was the daughter of the late Lloyd and Icie Jane Craig Crowder and the wife of the late Fred Earley, who died August 3, 2006. She also was preceded in death by three sons, Freddie, Robert, and Larry Earley; two grandchildren, two sisters; and five brothers.

Surviving are a daughter, Carolyn Bennett of Elkhart, Indiana; two sisters, Minnie Allen and Martha White, both of Dalton, Georgia; two brothers, T.J. Crowder of Farner, Tennessee and Joe Crowder of Dalton; seven grandchildren, six great grandchildren, and seven great great grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral services were held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, May 26, 2018 in the Chapel of Ivie Funeral Home, Murphy with the Rev. Jerry Beaver officiating. The interment was in Shoal Creek Cemetery. Grandsons served as pallbearers.

The family received friends from 10-10:45 Saturday morning at the Ivie Funeral Home, Murphy prior to the services.

Ivie Funeral Home, Murphy in charge of all arrangements.