Mrs. Mary Parker Dodd, age 93, of Cleveland, GA, formerly of Sandy Springs, GA, went to be with Jesus on January 27, 2018. Her beautiful smile and joyful heart will truly be missed by all who knew her. Mary was born in Gaffney, SC and went to Commercial High School in Atlanta. She met her handsome husband, Walter P. Dodd, in downtown Atlanta while she was working at the five & dime store after school. They married right before WWII, after which she wrote love letters to him and to other friends all during the war. Following the war, Mary was excited about having children, which occurred one after the other every other year from 1948 to 1957, except the year they went to Miami. Mary was a dedicated Mother and homemaker, who had worked in offices before the war and when the first three children were young. As the last two were in elementary school, she went to work at Rich's at Lenox Square and enjoyed having her discount to shop. She also loved raising her five children in Sandy Springs and cooking a huge Southern meal for Sunday dinners after Church. Mary and Walt went on many trips to Europe, the Mediterranean, and across the United States. Mary also loved gardening and flowers, reading, and spending time with all her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren! She also had a precious sense of humor. Mary and Walt were married 75 years last May and loved each other with an amazing love. They have always been a member of a Baptist Church in Sandy Springs, Buckhead and in Cleveland, GA, where they have resided the last few years full time at their lake house.
Mary is survived by her loving husband, Walter P. Dodd, Sr. of Cleveland, GA; her five children, Cheryl Dodd Counts (Leonard) of Roswell, GA, Deborah Dodd Jameson of Norcross, GA, Walter P. Dodd, Jr. (Jaki) of Cleveland, GA, Donna Dodd Williams (Glenn) of Cleveland, GA, Judy Dodd Allen (John) of Roswell, GA; her grandchildren, Thomas Counts (Susan) of Hinsdale, IL, Jeffrey Lewis (Amy) of Marietta, GA, Jennifer Butler of Brookhaven, GA, Laura Eagles (Heaven), Josh Jameson of Norcross, GA, Blake Dodd of Athens, GA, Zac Dodd of Cleveland, GA, Michelle Allen (Heaven), Cathryn Allen of Roswell, GA; and by great-grandchildren, Brandon Counts of Dallas, TX, Ryan Counts of Hinsdale, IL, Caitlin Butler of Brookhaven, GA, Jackson Lewis, Hope Lewis, and Hampton Lewis, all of Marietta, GA.
A celebration of Mary's life will begin with visitation at 12:00 pm noon Thursday, February 1, 2018 followed by the funeral service at 1:00 pm at the Sandy Springs Chapel, 136 Mt. Vernon Highway, Sandy Springs, GA 30328, with entombment following in the Arlington Memorial Cemetery mausoleum.
The family will receive friends from 6:30-7:30 PM Wednesday, January 31, 2018 at Barrett Funeral Home, Cleveland.
Online condolences can be made to the family at barrettfh.com.
Barrett Funeral Home, Cleveland.
