Mary Howard Carithers

Mary Howard Watkins Carithers passed away on February 15, 2012, after a valiant battle
with cancer. Born August 14, 1932, Mary Howard was a native Atlantan. She graduated
from Brown High School and also attended Georgia State University. In 1951, she
married Edward E. Carithers, Jr., a student and football player at Georgia Tech. After Ed
graduated, Mary moved with him to EI Paso, Texas, where he served in the US Army. In
1956, they returned to Atlanta, where she worked with C & S Bank. She had two
daughters, Julie and Lisa. She was active in her children's school activities as a room
mother, Girl Scout leader, and a two-term PTA President. Mary taught Sunday School
for preschoolers at West End Presbyterian Church from the age of 16, she sang in the
church choir, and she was a circle member and treasurer of the Women of the Church.
She and her husband also served as youth advisors at the church. In 1973, Mary and her
family joined Shallowford Presbyterian, Church, where she sang in the choir, taught
Sunday School and Bible School, and was a circle member. In recent years, she was an
active member of the Hi Seniors. Mrs. Carithers worked for 22 years as Office Manager
for the Atlanta Sales Division of Watlow Electric. She and husband Ed celebrated their
60th wedding anniversary on July 6, 2011. Her greatest joy was being "Gig" to her
grandchildren Harry Groce and Ashlyn and Austin DeCarlo. In addition to her
grandchildren, Mary is survived by husband Ed, daughter Julie and son-in-law Philip
Groce of Macon, daughter Lisa and son-in-law David DeCarlo of Alpharetta, and two
nephews, Cary (Lisa) Patrick and Kevin (Molly) Patrick of Atlanta. She also had two
great nephews, Brady Patrick and Ivan Patrick, a great niece, Erin Patrick Kirkland(Travis), a great-great nephew, Walker James Kirkland, and a great-great niece, Molly Ann Kirkland. A memorial service celebrating her life will be held at Shallowford Presbyterian Church on Monday, February 20th at 2:00 pm. Interment of her ashes will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Shallowford Presbyterian Church Chapel Renovation Fund, 2375 Shallowford Road, NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30345, or to Hospice Atlanta, 1244 Park Vista Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30319.A.S. Turner and Sons Funeral Home and Crematory.


Funeral Home:
A. S. Turner & Sons
2773 North Decatur Road
Decatur, GA
30033