Mary H. McClain died peacefully Saturday, Nov. 20, 2010, in the presence of her family who loved her very much.
Born Nov. 27, 1925, to Frank and Dessie Odell Rickard, she was raised by her Uncle Fred and Aunt Alta Crocket after the death of her mother when Mary was 5.
Mary's dream was to marry and have a house full of children. Unfortunately, she was diagnosed with tuberculosis at the age of 17 and spent the next five years in a private hospital in Decatur, Ala., receiving treatment that left her unable to have children.
In 1962, Mary heard about a 5-year-old little girl and a 2-year-old little boy who had been placed in a Free Will Baptist orphanage in Greenville, Tenn. She and her husband, Tom Hughes (married 55 years), drove to Tennessee and not only adopted the brother and sister, but also the little boy that the children's biological mom was carrying, when he was 11 days old.
In addition to being a mother, Mary made a career for herself in the food service industry. Mary worked as a dietician for her cousin, Dusty Richard, at Dusty Joe's in downtown Florence. When Dusty Joe's closed, she and her cousin, Freda House, opened the Jersey Whip restaurant on Royal Avenue, finally retiring as a hostess at Sam's Club.
Mary was so proud of her Sweetwater Avenue heritage that in 1986 she and her friend, Reba (Bits) White, founded the Sweetwater Reunion Committee. Mary so enjoyed people that she could not understand why everyone would not want to know what had become of old friends and their families. The first year that the Sweetwater Reunion Picnic was held, more than 580 people came to McFarland Park simply from phone calls and word of mouth. Twenty-four years later, the reunion is now held at the coliseum in east Florence.
Because Mary was a long-time breast cancer survivor, she was very involved with Bosom Buddies, Race to Recovery and served on the board of directors for the Cancer Society fundraising.
Mary was a lifelong member of First Freewill Baptist Church and a member of the Willing Workers Sunday School class.
In death, Mary joins her husbands, Edward Thomas Hughes and Alton McClain; son-in-law, Keith Alan Holmes; and granddaughter, Mary Abigail (Abby) Holmes.
Mary leaves behind in life her daughter, Tina Hughes Holmes; sons, Mark Allan Hughes (Wanda) and Edward (Eddy) Boyce Hughes (Teresa); her grandchildren, Oliver Bradley (Brad) and wife, Sara, Chasity Hughes, Markus Allan Hughes (Carolyn) and Jennifer Harrison (Johnny); and her great-grandchildren, Jordan and Jacey Harrison.
The family would like to thank special friends, Velma Cole (who cared daily for her), Margaret Thrift, Jean Daniels and Martha Jane Cody, who became her wheels when she could no longer drive; special neighbors, Jim Simpson, Stella Haynes, Mary Irons and Bubby and Ann Blackstock, who watched and cared for her always; special niece and nephew, Carolyn Vandiver and Tommy Hughes. Our family is very grateful to Dr. Lyman Mitchell for all the years of care she received, and also Amedisys Hospice, with special nurses, Claudia and Theresa.
Mrs. McClain will lie in state 1-2 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 23, at First Freewill Baptist Church, Florence, with the service following at 2 p.m., the Rev. Phil Cooper officiating. Burial will be in Greenview Memorial, Florence. Pallbearers will be Jim Dorrah, Jim Simpson, Todd Blackstock, Billy Gamble, George Capps and Buddy Lee Armstrong. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the Abby Holmes Memorial Scholarship Fund, care of the University of North Alabama Foundation, UNA, Box 5113, Florence, AL 35632, or the American Cancer Society , 104 South Popular St., Florence, AL 35630. Elkins Funeral Home is assisting the family. , George Capps and Buddy Lee Armstrong.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the Abby Holmes Memorial Scholarship Fund, care of the University of North Alabama Foundation, UNA, Box 5113, Florence, AL 35632, or the American Cancer Society , 104 South Popular St., Florence, AL 35630.
Elkins Funeral Home is assisting the family.