Mary was born on May 18, 1925, in Andalusia, Alabama to father Daniel Stokes and mother Alice Pitts. The second of 11 children, Mary grew up on her family’s farm, helping her father and mother grow and harvest peanuts, cotton and tobacco.
Mary moved to Pensacola in 1941 and worked as a telephone operator and PBX Dispatch clerk for Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph Co. for four decades. She was a Life Member of The Telephone Pioneers. Mary was a member of Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida.
Mary met her first husband, Alton Neil Norrell,Sr, with whom she had two children, a daughter, Pamela, and a son, Lynn, who passed away in 1974.
Mary later married her second husband, Henry Bernard “Bama” Mathews, with whom she shared her life until his death in 1995.
An avid traveler, Mary spent much of her time in retirement exploring the country and the world. Mary’s travels took her to the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Italy, Greece, Turkey and China, among other countries.
Mary is survived by her daughter, Pamela Norrell Cassady (Paul) and step son, Alton Neil Norrell, Jr (Barbara Ann) and her sisters, Audrey Murphy, Frances Fallon and Doris Kent, as well as five grandchildren: Jeffrey Cassady (Miok Lim), Adam Cassady (Beth), John Cassady (Maura), Elizabeth Kamin (Jeffory) and Mark Cassady, five great-grandchildren Camille, Caleb, twins, Moriah and Emily Cassady and Leon Kamin. Mary dearly loved children and babies. Her greatest pleasure was caring for her grandbabies.
Mary also leaves behind numerous nieces and nephews who love her dearly. She was known for her delicious pound cakes, fried chicken, and Southern Hospitality. She always had her home open for family and friends and many took her up on her offer to “stay awhile”.
Services for Mary will be Wednesday, July 28, at Bayview Memorial Park on Scenic Highway in Pensacola. Visitation at 10:00a.m.with services at 11:00 a.m.. Active Pallbearers will be Jeffrey Cassady, Adam Cassady, John Cassady, Mark Cassady, Elizabeth Kamin and David Kent. Honorary pallbearers are Jeffory Kamin , Robert Murphy and Tim Fallon, Jr.
The family would like to thank Paulette Cowick and Aggie East for their love and care of Mary at home and also the caregivers at Life Care Center of Pensacola for their care and support of Mary for the last four years.
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