Mary Louise Owen

Mary Louise Owen, age 77, of Gainesville, joined many of her loved ones in the presence of Jesus on after an extended illness.

Preceded in death by her husband, Donald C. Owen; father and mother, Leonard C. "Dick" Smith and Nellie Scroggs Smith; brother, C. D. Smith; son-in-law, Ray Alton; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Ray C. Owen and Alene Owen.

Visitation will be Saturday January 26, 2013 from 1-3 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. at the Mason & Ward Funeral Home, McEver Road, Gainesville.

Memorial services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Sunday January 27, 2013 in the Mason & Ward Funeral Home Chapel . Officiating will be the Rev. Tim Sexton and the Rev. Gary Wilson . Interment will be at the Hillside Memorial Gardens, Gainesville, officiated by the Rev. Mike Taylor .

Survived by her loving daughters and sons-in-law, Linda and Jeff Davis of Flowery Branch, and Alisa and Tim Sexton of Gainesville; grandson, Noah Davis; brother and sister-in-law, Lee and Ginny Smith of Eustis, Florida; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Carolyn and Leon Swindle of Flowery Branch; nieces and nephews, Martha and Jerry Shell, Steve and Darlene Smith, Tom Swindle, Terry Swindle, Mark and Suzy Swindle; great-nieces and nephews, Kevin and Amy Stowers, and Brandy Migliori.

For many years she worked in her family's florists (Alene's Flower Shop and Rainbow Florist). Her later years of employment were spent as a sitter for a number of elderly people.

She was a member of Westside Baptist Church where she spent countless hours loving little ones in the nursery. Many children, some of whom are adults now, have known the nurturing love of "Mama Mary".

Wherever she was or whatever she did her special gift of loving and caring for children and senior adults was evident.

There is also no question about how she loved and was devoted to her family. Until their deaths she cared for both of her parents, her brother, and her husband of 59 years