Matriarch Lady Hattie Nelson Ingram, 89, was called home by God on October 31, 2023. She was born to the late James Nelson, Sr. and Esther Truesdale Nelson on February 14, 1934. She was the youngest of five siblings. Hattie's maternal lineage is traced to the Country of Sierra Leone on the Continent of Africa by way of the Mandingo Tribe. Her Great Grandfather Mendy Truesdale was born into chattel slavery but purchased his freedom in the late 1800's in the state of South Carolina.

Lady Ingram graduated from Atkins High School in 1952. She received her BS Degree in Elementary Education from Winston-Salem Teacher's College in 1956. She later received her MS Degree in elementary Education from North Carolina A&T University. After her teaching career began, she was later awarded an R.J. Reynolds Scholarship where she attended the Reading Institute at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro.

Lady Ingram began her teaching career in Reidsville, NC and after four years joined the Winston-Salem Forsyth County School System. She taught at Fairview Elementary School and Konnoak Elementary School, where she remained for 38 years prior to her second retirement. She was trained as a tax preparer for H & R Block and tutored at Sylvan and Huntington Learning Centers.

Lady Ingram married the late Jhuria Ingram on August 25, 1960. The couple were married for 42 years prior to his passing on December 19, 2002. In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her siblings, Alma N. Humphrey, Mildred N. Hauser, Master Sgt. James Nelson, Jr., and Mary N. Whitfield.

Lady Matriarch Ingram was a lifelong member of New Bethel Baptist Church where she served faithfully as chairperson of the Deacons and Trustee Spouses; Editor of the church newsletter, The Spotlight; President of the Journalistic Society; Sunday School; Effort Club; Missionary Department; Senior Ministry; Bereavement Committee; Tuesday Morning Bible Study; and the Flower Club.

Lady Matriarch Ingram was a lifetime member and Pearl Soror of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She was a member of the National Education Association and the North Carolina Retired School Personnel Association.

Lady Matriarch Ingram was featured in the publication by Michael Cunningham in 2000, Crowns: Portraits of Black Women in Church Hats.

Survivors include nieces and nephews, Rev. Deborah Hauser-Odom, Sandra B. (Paul) Hayes, Gregory D. Hauser, Lolita (Roosevelt) Sims, and Sandra Addison all of Winston-Salem, Karen Nelson-Lobo of San Bernadino, California, Lenise (Brian) Braziel, Denise (Derrick) Richardson of Niceville, Florida, Terry Nelson of Allen, Texas, Felecia Huggins and Carl Page of Georgetown, SC, and Lorraine (Bernard) Felder of Concord, NC; sisters-in-law, Annie Ingram McMorris of Winston-Salem and Pearl Nelson of Niceville, Florida; and a tribe of great, great-great, 3x great nieces and nephews, many cousins, and other relatives and friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to: New Bethel Baptist Church- Building Fund; 1016 N Trade St., Winston-Salem, NC 27101 in memory of Hattie Nelson Ingram.

A viewing will be held from 1:00pm until 5:00pm Tuesday, November 7, 2023 at Russell Funeral Home.

Funeral services will be held at 12noon Wednesday, November 8, 2023 at New Bethel Baptist Church with Dr. Kendall Jones officiating. Interment will follow in Evergreen Cemetery. The family visitation will be held from 11:00am until 12noon on Wednesday at the Church. The Ivy Beyond the Wall service for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. will be held at 10:00am on Wednesday at the Church.