Mary Ruenell Poole Roberts, 87, passed away Sunday May 22, 2011, surrounded by her loving family. She was born August 9, 1923, in Helen, Georgia where her parents Ruby Shewbert Poole and Raymond Watson Poole were living close to their "generous and loving Shewbert relatives." Later the family moved to the Lula-Gillsville area to care for and be with "The Pa Coot Poole family" during the great depression. Quoting Mama Poole, the family increased with her "little brother, Jimmy Poole" who was loved and guarded by "Pine Knott," big sister. Ruenell loved attending the old Latty Road school and graduated with honors from Gillsville High School. Competition in sports and out running the boys were great stories she shared from her life. Right after high school graduation she enrolled in Berry College. She married and changed to her best role, mother of Carolyn Diane (Donnie) Mote in 1942, later deceased at age 3. She thrived as a single mother to Myra Mote Benefield, living with her the last seven years of her life at 4635 Plantation Drive, Flowery Branch, Georgia,30542. She loved her "last beautiful homes" and was a great friend to all at New Liberty and Chestnut Mountain communities.
Ruenell was baptized at Timber Ridge Baptist Church near Lula, by her uncle, the Rev Henry Poole. The New Holland Baptist Church and New Holland community were very important in her life where she lived, worked and retired from the New Holland Mill. New Liberty Methodist Church and Curt Roberts Road were her last loving home and church after she married Julian "June-Bug" Roberts in 1965. Everyone knew that "June-Bug" Roberts and her home with him were some of the best days of her life. She took great pride in attending Chestnut Mountain Church in her last years, where she loved hearing sermons and sharing time with her only grandson, Pastor Jeff Benefield.
She took great pride in describing herself as an independent, hard working, wife, mother, grandmother and amazingly great- grandmother. Working 60 hours, with high incentive extra pay, was normal for Ruenell in the cotton mill. She stepped up to the plate, working hard during World War II like most women of that era. She loved this role as mother and bread winner for her family. Her last role was being wife, caretaker, and baby sitter often raising goats and calves in her back yard pasture.
Ruenell resided at Bell-Minor Nursing Home for the last seven months after a stroke in October, 2010. At the nursing home she made and loved many new friends and they all loved her in return. She became the nursing home fun time hero to many of the staff, who often shared these feelings with her family.
Loving survivors; Myra Mote Benefield, daughter; Jeff and Tamara Benefield, grandson and wife; Alli and Ansley Benefield, granddaughters; A.J. and Adam Benefield, grandsons; Kami Poole Warder and family, niece, of Colorado. She is also survived by cherished, chosen and loved relatives from the Roberts family, with Billy Roberts, Early Roberts and Aunt Lola being the elders remaining,and many nieces and nephews, who brought her great joy. She shared a wonderful reciprocal love with her cousins surviving and deceased from the Poole, Shewbert, Adams, Abernathy, Johnson, Harrison, Latty, Cagle, and Odell families.
There will be a visitation- memorial service on Thursday May 26, 2011 at the Chestnut Mountain Church, 4903 Chestnut Mountain Circle, Flowery Branch, Ga.30542, 770-967-3197, http://chestnutmountain.com; starting with the visitation at 6:00 PM. in the West Lobby followed by her memorial service at 7:00 PM. Pastor Jeff Benefield, her grandson will officiate. In lieu of floral offerings, it will please her family for honor gifts to be made to the Freedom Campaign of Chestnut Mountain Church.
Those wishing to send online condolences may do so at littledavenport.com
Little & Davenport Funeral Home, 355 Dawsonville Highway, S.W., Gainesville, Ga. 30501 is in charge of arrangements.
