Mary Frances Giddens Strickland

Mary Frances Giddens Strickland, age 92, of Roswell, GA, died on February 27, 2023. Mary was born July 2, 1930, in Griffin, GA to John James and Nettie Christian Giddens. She was her parents only child and their world. She attended primary and high school in Griffin where she grew up in “town”. She attended Georgia State College for Women in Milledgeville, GA before moving to Atlanta in her early 20s. Mary worked at Delta Air Lines in the early 1950s where she met the love of her life, Frank Lesley Strickland, Jr. She and Frank were married in 1953 and her world was complete when her only child and son John Lesley (Les) was born in 1958. After returning to the workforce Mary then worked for S.C. Johnson & Son Co as a receptionist for 28 years before she retired in 1991. Mary spent much of her retirement caring for her son through his health issues; she was an excellent example of a mother’s never-ending and enduring love.

Mary loved the outdoors and loved to travel – throughout her adult life, you could find her on the water at the lake, traveling to the Florida Gulf, vacationing across the USA, or simply traveling around town. Mary was an excellent cook and an even better baker. She clipped recipes and loved to try new dishes and desserts. Mary also loved piddling in her yard and her garden. She gardened well past the age of 90 and her flowers brought her such joy. If she wasn’t outdoors, she was indoors reading a novel or one of her many magazine subscriptions, doing a crossword puzzle, studying history, learning about nature, watching a murder mystery or police tv show, decorating her house, listening to her CDs, or shopping for the latest fashion. Mary was a girlie girl and would never leave the house without freshly applied lipstick. On the weekends you could find her often eating out and enjoying anywhere with a patio - after her Saturday hair appointment was done, of course. Mary was silly, witty, kind, generous, strong, faithful, fiercely loving, and devoted. She was a loving daughter, wife, mother, stepmother, grandmother, great-grandmother, cousin, Aunt, and friend.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, son, plus many beloved relatives and friends.

She is survived by 2 granddaughters – Leslie Michelle James (Jim) of Snellville, GA; Amy Strickland Baggett (Jarrett) of Roswell, GA; 4 great-grandchildren Reese, Chandler, Knox, Jax; daughter-in-law Carole Rhodes Strickland (John Lesley) of Tucker GA; stepson Frank Dallas Strickland (Judy) of Atlanta, GA, along with their 4 children and 8 grandchildren; Sister-in-law Betty Vekoske; several cousins, and 4 nieces and their families.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the American Diabetes Association or the American Kidney Foundation.