Jilead Delaiah Cates

WINSTON-SALEM-- Miss Jilead Delaiah Cates, 2 ½ years, of Winston Salem, passed away on Thursday, February 27, 2014 at Brenner Children's Hospital of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. Miss Cates was born on September 6, 2011 in Forsyth County to Jeffrey David Cates and Sonya Roberts Cates. God granted us the privilege of knowing and loving our precious ‘Jilly' for nearly 30 months. She touched numerous lives and hearts with her story, her testimony. Jilead was a picture of courage, grace, peace and joy. She endured much in her life with severe cerebral palsy, from vision and hearing impairments to the inability to fully move her limbs as well as multiple hospitalizations and medical procedures. She loved to be held, to feel the touch of those who loved her. She reveled in the presence of her sisters and brother. Jilly's laugh was contagious - it started in her toes and bubbled up in a true belly-laugh. Her laughter was a precious gift from God, an answer to many prayers lifted, asking that Jilead would know true joy, tears-running-down-the-cheeks and laughing-so-hard-you-had-to-take-deep-breaths joy. One could not hear and see Jilly's laughter without smiling and laughing along. She taught our family that loving kindness and joy far outweigh worry and strife. God's goodness and mercy surrounded Jilead (Psalm 23:6), no matter where she was. Her name, Jilead Delaiah, means ‘place of testimony' and ‘drawn by God'. There is no doubt that Jilead lived up to her name. Her place in time, in our lives and hearts, overflows with testimony of God's goodness, mercy, grace and provision. God created this child. He allowed us to know her and to hold her close for a time. He holds her now. She is able to twirl, laugh, dance, hop and run without any of her earthly limitations. It will take a lifetime for us to fully recognize the lessons that we have learned through Jilead. We wait with anticipation of being with her again, to recognize her touch and her laughter and to celebrate heaven alongside our Jilly-girl. Miss Cates is survived by her parents; two sisters, Samantha Ruby and Susannah Ruth and a brother, Jesse David, all of the home; maternal grandparents, Wayne and Angie Roberts of Raleigh, NC; paternal grandparents, David and Carol Cates of Burlington, NC; paternal uncle, Matthew Cates of Louisville, KY; paternal aunt, Angela Bortone (Dante) of San Diego, CA; cousin, Emmiah Bortone of San Diego, CA. A memorial service will be held at 3:00pm on Sunday, March 2, 2014 at Calvary Baptist Church with Rev. Steve Hardy officiating. The family will receive friends from 1:30 to 3:00pm on Sunday at the church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to Calvary Baptist Church Preschool Ministry, 5000 Country Club Road, Winston Salem, NC 27104. Online condolences may be made at www.hayworthmiller.com. Hayworth-Miller Silas Creek Chapel is serving the Cates family.

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