Mary was born to the late Robert and Lula Couey in Bessemer, AL on December 8, 1925 and she was quite the lady. Mary was also extremely devoted to her family and was a very loving mother and grandmother. Her memory will live on through her family for years to come.
Mary grew up in Tennessee and actually met her late husband at the Sewart Air Force Base in Smyrna, TN. Her husband was a pilot and during WWII she became one of the female civilians that took part in the War Powers Act during WWII, working for 4 years at Consolidated-Vultee Aircraft Corp, as a general line maintenance worker. Considering the work she did back then, you would think she would love airplanes but, ironically she hated to fly. However, she loved to watch her husband fly airplanes back then and, continued to love and watch her son fly airplanes now.
Mary was very artistic. She loved art and sculpturing so, no it was no surprise that she got into photography and photo processing. Mary was one of the first people who got a kit from Kodak to colorize photos. She moved to Oklahoma for a while and worked with the Cherokee Indian Counsel but soon grew homesick and moved back to Tennessee where she continued to work with a photographer for years. Mary was an intelligent woman who was very well-read. She enjoyed gardening and loved her roses, shrubbery, and flowers; most of all her Irises. She had a favorite dog she loved named Toby whom her and her beloved husband had picked out together and her boys knew it. She would tell them about another favorite pet of hers from when she was growing up near the boy’s school on McCallie Avenue, and his name was Ted. She didn’t own Ted, but he always came to see her. When Taps was played he would run away but, he continued to return to her porch every day. So, she guessed he was partially hers too.
Mary is survived by her three sons, David Bracken, Richard Bracken, and Douglas Bracken; and her two grandchildren.
Graveside services will be held at Camp Memorial Park in Fayetteville, GA on Friday, May 31, 2019 at 2:30pm, with Chaplain Jim Weathers officiating. A visitation will be on Thursday evening, May 30, 2019 from 5:00pm-8:00pm at Carmichael-Hemperley Funeral Home in Peachtree City, GA.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to your favorite charity.
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