Mary Whitaker Strickland

Mary Elizabeth (Lib) Whitaker Strickland passed peacefully on Tuesday, October 13, 2009.  She had an amazing personality, never met a stranger, and loved her family and her friends.  She was a statistician for Rich’s and Haverty’s for many years.  After the death of her beloved husband, Irving W. Strickland, she became a kindergarten teach at Decatur Presbyterian Church and celebrated her 80^th birthday by going down the slide!  She was a native of Decatur and loved her church, Avondal Pattillo United Methodist Church and especially her Sunday School Class, The Golden Rule Bible Class. Her family and friends adored her and she always had a joke, an adventure, or a wonderful story to tell. 

She is survived by her  sister Marcia Burris, daughters, Pattie and  son-in-law Bill Payne of Juno Beach, FL, Cathy Parker, Decatur, GA, grandchildren Lauren and Charles Thrift of Charlotte, NC and Charles (Chip) and Jenny Payne of Whitefish. MT,great-grandchildren: Payne and Wilson Thrift and Penolope (Poppy) and Cosley Payne and her granddogs: Grover and Evie Parker. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews great nieces and nephews and so many friends.  As per her wishes, she is to be cremated. Visitation with the family will be Friday, 10/16 from 6-8pm at A.S. Turner’s. A Celebration of Life will be at Avondale Pattillo United Methodist Church 3260 Covington Hwy, Decatur, GA 30032 (404)294-4063 at 11:00am Saturday, 10/17.