Mary Jo Sell

Mrs. Mary Jo Sell, age 87, of Clermont, passed away Monday, April 21, 2025, at Manor Lake 
Memory Care in Gainesville, GA after suffering from dementia for the last several years. 

Mrs. Sell was born in Rebecca, GA to the late Lewis Floyd Handley and Margaret Vertie Griffin 
Handley.  She met her late husband at the age of 19, who she married in 1956 and followed him from South Georgia to reside in Atlanta, then Doraville, then Norcross until her husband’s 
passing.  Mary Jo worked at Zayre’s, Treasure Island and Union Camp.  Because of her love for children, she found her passion job as a former preschool teacher where she worked for 25 years at Winters Chapel United Methodist Church.   

She was also known as “Mama Jo” because most of the neighborhood kids were always at her 
house hanging out and she was always mothering all the children she encountered too.  As she 
aged, she gained a new name “Granma” by the new neighborhood children and lastly “GanMa” 
when her first granddaughter came along. 

Mrs. Sell enjoyed fishing, eating out, loved eating catfish, picking flowers and making bouquets 
of flowers, finding interesting rocks, singing, and spending time with family and friends.  She 
was a strong-willed woman and if you knew her, you knew she was going to get her way even if 
she made you mad trying.  Under it all she was one of the most giving people and had a sweet 
loving lining under her toughness.  She will be sorely missed. 

In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her husband, Stanley Sell (10/2021) and 
her granddaughter, Sara Carver 2/2023); 6 sisters and 4 brothers.  

Survivors include her daughter, Sheila Sell Carver and son-in-law John Carver; her 
granddaughter Emma Harper Carver; her grand daughter-in-law Hanna Carver, many nieces, 
nephews, extended family and lifelong friends. 

Graveside services are scheduled for 12 Noon, Saturday, April 26, 2025, at North Atlanta 
Memorial Park, 5188 Winters Chapel Road, Atlanta, GA 30360. Mr. Rob Morris will officiate.  

The family will receive friends from 5-7 P.M. Friday, April 25, 2025, at Barrett funeral home, 
Cleveland GA .

To share a memory or leave a condolence with the family, visit barrettfh.com.

Barrett Funeral Home, Cleveland | (706) 865-3101