Mary Lunsford

Family-Placed Death Notice

LUNSFORD, Mary MARY VANN LUNSFORD Mary Vann Lunsford, a remarkable educator, dedicated civic servant, and devoted wife and mother, died Wednesday, November 11, 2009, in Atlanta, Georgia, after an extended illness. She was 90. Mrs. Lunsford was born to Thomas King Vann and Eugenia Switzer Vann in Thomasville, Georgia on July 3, 1919, was educated in the Thomasville City schools where she was a member of the state champion debate team at Thomasville High School, and graduated from Shorter College with a degree in speech. Mary Lunsford loved Shorter College and Shorter College loved Mary Lunsford. While an undergraduate at Shorter, Mrs. Lunsford was President of the Eunomian Society, Vice-President of the Honor Board, Vice-President of the Student Council, President of the Debate Club, was a member of the Argonauts Society, the Key Club, the OWLS, the Argo staff, the Shorter Players, and the May Court, was selected as one of the "Ten Best Debaters" in the Southeastern Debate Tourney, and was named the "Most Versatile" senior. As an alumna, she was elected Vice-President then President of the Shorter Alumni Association, was a frequent member of the Alumni Governing Board, President of the Atlanta Shorter Alumni Chapter, was co-chair of the Shorter Centennial Committee, and was elected Shorterís Alumna of the Year in 1982. She served three - five year terms on the Shorter Board of Trustees, chaired the 1984-85 Academic Affairs Committee, was elected the first female and alumna Chair of the Board of Trustees in 1991, and was again elected Chair of the Board of Trustees in 1997. In 1995, Shorter College bestowed on Mrs. Lunsford an honorary Doctor of Laws. In the mid 1950s, Mrs. Lunsford took selected elementary education courses at Emory University, and from 1957-1968 taught pre-first grade at The Westminster Schools where she was a phonics and reading specialist. After retiring from Westminster, Mrs. Lunsford continued her specialty by assisting young children with phonics and reading who were referred to her by Atlanta area schools. Mrs. Lunsford was a member of Second Ponce de Leon Baptist Church for more than 60 years. She was an associate teacher of the Fidelis Sunday School Class, Chairman of Circle of the W.M.U., a Sunbeams leader, and a member of the church's Heritage Committee. She was an active member of the Tallulah Falls Matron Circle and the Raburn-Gap-Nacoochee Guild. Mrs. Lunsford was a life member of the Shepherd Center Auxiliary, served two terms as Treasurer of the Auxiliary, and was a member of its Board of Directors. She was vice-chair of the Board of Senior Citizens Services of Metro Atlanta, was honorary co-chair of its 1996 Meals to Remember, and also served on its Foundation Board. Mrs. Lunsford also served as Co-Chair of the 1989 Atlanta Heart Ball. She was also a member of the Green Thumb Garden Club, My Book Club, the China Dolls china painting club, and the Ladies of the Square Table bridge club. While a student at Shorter, Mrs. Lunsford was the Mrs. Santa host of the "Ask Mrs. Santa" show on WSB radio. She is listed in Who's Who in America. Mary Lunsford was joyfully optimistic, kind and generous to everyone she met, a trusted friend, and was affectionately known to her daughters-in-law and grand children as "Mimi." She enjoyed the Alliance Theatre, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and the Atlanta Opera. She prepared delectable tailgate meals for Saturday afternoons at Sanford Stadium where she and her husband "Lunce" hosted friends and relatives in the military parking lot for Georgia Bulldog football games. She was her husband's welcome companion at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania and at annual meetings of the United States Trademark Association (now INTA). Mrs. Lunsford was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Julius R. Lunsford, Jr. and is survived by three sons, J. Rodgers Lunsford III, Clark V. Lunsford and Alan H. Lunsford, two grandsons, Jason R. Lunsford and James R. Lunsford, one granddaughter, Margaret M. (Maggie) Yepez, Maggie's mother, Jeanne Rankine Lunsford, one great grand daughter, Isabel Yepez, three daughters in law, Carolyn G. Lunsford, Margaret P. Lunsford, and Marilyn B. Lunsford, one grandson-in-law, Nino Yepez, and numerous nephews, nieces, grand nephews, grand nieces, and cousins. The family will have a private internment in Hamilton, Georgia on Friday, November 13, 2009 at 10:00 AM, and will celebrate Mary Lunsford's life in a Memorial Service at Second Ponce de Leon Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia on Monday, November 16, 2009 at 2:00 P.M. The family will great friends immediately after the service in the church's Family Life Center. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Mary Vann Lunsford Scholarship Fund at Shorter College and to the general endowment of Second Ponce de Leon Baptist Church. H. M. Patterson and Sons is in charge of arrangements.