Mary Garbutt Mercer

Mrs. Mary Garbutt Mercer, age 96, of Sandersville, died Thursday, January 12, 2012. Funeral services will be held on Sunday, January 15th at 2:00pm at the Sandersville United Methodist Church with burial in the Brownwood Cemetery. Rev. Dale Andrews and Rev. Quillian Mercer will officiate. Pallbearers will be Jay Studdard, George Garbutt, Frank Garbutt, Skip Willcox, Mark Riner, Aubin Willis, Mike Adams, Robert Fountain, and R. J. Lewis.

Mrs. Mercer was a native and lifelong resident of Washington County. She was the daughter of the late Gordon Smart Garbutt, Sr. and the late Annie Julia Tucker Garbutt. She was a 1932 graduate of Sandersville High School and attended Georgia State College for Women. Mrs. Mercer was a homemaker and an active member of the Sandersville First Christian Church, where she held the distinction of being the oldest and longest church member. At church, Mrs. Mercer was a member of the Willing Workers Sunday School Class and the Christian Women’s Fellowship. In her community, she was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, the Washington County Farm Bureau and former member of the Twentieth Century Club and the Sorosis Club. Mrs. Mercer is predeceased by her husband Sanders G. Mercer Sr., her daughter Sandra Mercer Willis and brothers, Gordon S. Garbutt Jr., Frank J. Garbutt, Sr. and Reese T. Garbutt.

Survivors are: her son Sanders G. Mercer (Judy) of Sandersville, her son-in-law Aubin H. Willis of Tennille, grandchildren, Susan Studdard Lewis, Cynthia Dianne Mercer Willcox (Skip) all of Sandersville, Julie Studdard Adams (Mike) of Buford SC., Jerald Jay Studdard of Antioch TN., and Quillian Sanders Mercer (Rachael) of McDonough, and great grandchildren, Lauren Lewis, R. J. Lewis, Eli Harris, Payton Mercer, Owen Mercer, Nathan Mercer, Melinda Kaye Mercer and James Willcox IV.

The family will be at the Mercer residence 607 W. Church St. in Sandersville and will receive friends Saturday from 4 to 6pm at the May and Smith Funeral Home in Sandersville.

Donations may be made to the Sandersville First Christian Church Building Fund, P. O. Box 45, Sandersville, GA 31082.

May and Smith Funeral Directors is in charge of these arrangements. www.mayandsmithfuneraldirectors.com