Mary Watson Willingham

Mary Watson Willingham, 97, died Thursday, September 8, 2016. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, September 17, 2016 at 11:00AM at Highland Hills Baptist Church, Macon, Georgia. A reception will be held immediately following the memorial service at the church. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Landscaping Grounds Committee at Highland Hills Baptist Church, 1370 Briarcliff Road, Macon, Georgia 31211. Mary, daughter of the late Lloyd Dallas Watson and the late Ruth Holman Watson of Thomasville, Georgia, was born September 9, 1918 in Albany, Georgia. Her husband of seventy-one years, Frank, predeceased her on July 5, 2011. Survivors include her sons, Broadus Estes Willingham, IV (Melinda) of Macon, Georgia and Frank Mallary Willingham, Jr. (Patricia) of Laytonsville, Maryland; seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her youngest son, Lloyd Watson Willingham (Carol) of Crawfordville, Florida, on November 21, 2013. Mary and her husband, Frank, were part of the founding members and she was the last surviving member of the original founders of Highland Hill Baptist Church. She loved landscaping and was actively involved in the landscaping of her church as well as her yard which was often part of the garden tour of homes in Shirley Hills. Mary was a member of the church choir, Sunday school class and the National Society of Colonial Dames. She graduated from Sullins College in Bristol, Virginia and the University of Georgia with honors, majoring in Sociology. Register online at www.hartsmort.com. Hart's Mortuary and Crematory, 765 Cherry Street, has charge of arrangements.