Mary S. Powell Cassell

1929 - 2019

GRAY. Tenn. — Mary S Powell Cassell, 89, of Gray, Tenn. passed from this life to her Heavenly home early on October 4, 2019 at Princeton Transitional Care, Johnson City, Tenn. She was born Nov. 14, 1929, in Greenville as the fifth of seven children belonging to Waldo Willard Swabb and Dorothy Bridget Duval.

She was predeceased by her three brothers, Waldo Jr. (Donuts) Swabb, Miles Swabb and John Swabb; three sisters Beulah Long, Phyllis Monnier, Gail Pence; infant daughter Kathy Sue Powell, stepson Tim Cassell and step daughter Tammy Cassell Vines. She leaves to mourn her passing: Gerald Cassell, her husband of more than 54 years, her children, Bethany Carres (Jim) The Villages, Fla., Donna Beam (Tom) Zanesfield, OH and The Villages, Fla., Stuart (Debbie) Powell Rotonda West, Fla., Mark Powell, Greenville, Ohio and Ben Cassell (Tracy) Kingsport, TN; her grandchildren, Nikki Vines, Kristi Vines, Heather Coby (Greg), Justin Powell; Adrienne Longfellow (Eric) , Brandon Powell , Coty Cassell (Sarah) Nick and Suzanna Norton and Adrienne Hunt (Brandon), thirteen great grandchildren, many nieces and nephews, many friends and her church family from Gray United Methodist Church, Gray, TN .

Mary was a superb actress, appearing in numerous plays with the Greenville OH Art Guild Players, Kingsport Theatre Guild, State Dinner Theatre, and Johnson City Community Theatre: Harvey, Arsenic and Old Lace, Our Town, I Remember Mama, Life With Father, Every Family Has One, Bell, Book and Candle, The Hollow, See How They Run and Same Time Next Year. She won the Kingsport Theatre Guild Best Actress Award for the 1977-78 Season and the Johnson City Best Actress in a Drama Award 1991.

Mary will be remembered for many things, including intelligence, compassion and integrity, but especially for her sense of humor and quick wit. She loved life and loved to laugh, finding humor somewhere in most things.

The family will receive friends from 5-7 p.m. at Gray United Methodist Church, 2108 Oak St., Gray, Tenn. on Thursday, October 10, followed by a Celebration of Life Service at 7 p.m. In lieu of Fla.owers, memorial contributions may be made to Holston Home for Children, 404 Holston Drive, Greeneville, TN 37743 . or Hope To Walk Foundation, 3635 A, South Main Street, Blacksburg, VA 24060.

A brief graveside service will be held at Mt. View Cemetery,1019 East Valley Drive. Bristol, VA 24201 at 11 a.m.Friday, October 11. Those wishing to attend are asked to be at the cemetery by 10:45 a.m.