Mary Smith Calloway

1933 - 2021

MEBANE - Mary Smith Calloway transitioned on March 25, 2021 at the age of 87. She was born on May 14, 1933 in Alamance County to the late Clyde and Priscilla Moore.

Mary was an active member of St. Paul's A.M.E. Church, Raleigh, NC and Union Chapel A.M.E. Church in Newark, New Jersey. At both churches where she served as a steward and she also ran a vacation bible school. She was an active member of the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority and a graduate of Winston-Salem Teacher's College. She also earned her Master's Degree in Education at Kean College in Union, New Jersey.

She was a retired school teacher for over forty years. In fact, her and husband Gemmie were the first black teachers in Statesboro. After retiring, she traveled extensively and collected butterflies as a hobby.

She leaves to cherish her memories, her daughters: Mary Michelle Ingrassia (Lucien) of Milton, DE, Raechele Davis (Allen) of Chesapeake, VA, Jean Smith-Durham (W. Scott) of Summit, NJ, Sylvia Smith of Hillside, NJ; her son Gemmie A. Smith Jr. (Carla) of Mebane, NC; one sister: Flora M. Bradshaw of Greensboro, NC; seven grandchildren, six great grandchildren, a host of very special nieces, nephews, relatives, family and friends.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her siblings: Christina M. Garner, Evelyn M. Francis, Vivian M. Enoch, Clyde Moore, Jr. She survived two husbands: Gemmie A. Smith Sr. and James W. Calloway.

Public viewing will be held on Monday, March 29, 2021 from 1-8pm in the Roy Blackwell Chapel. Funeral services will be held in the Roy Blackwell Chapel on Tuesday, March 30, 2021 at 11am with the family arriving at 10:30am. Interment will be at Carolina Biblical Gardens of Raleigh. Please post condolences to blackwellfuneral.com. The funeral service will can be viewed on the Blackwell Funeral Home Facebook page. Due to COVID-19 masks must be worn to attend the services. All services are entrusted to Blackwell Funeral Home.