Born September 20, 1931 in Atlanta, Georgia, Mary is predeceased by her parents, Jesse Glenn Summers, Sr. and Annie Maude (Adams) Summers of Hapeville, and by her husband of 44 years, Rev. Harry M. Carswell, Jr., originally of Atlanta.
Mary graduated from Hapeville High School in 1948 and graduated from Mars Hill Junior College (now Mars Hill University) in Madison County, North Carolina before earning her Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Work in 1952 from Mercer University in Macon, Georgia. After a significant career in child welfare and protective services in Tennessee, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, Mary retired from the Alabama Department of Human Services as the State Director of the Child Protective Services Division in 1997. As a dedicated pastor’s wife and loving mother of four, Mary devoted her life to her immediate and extended family. She was a source of joy and inspiration to many. She enjoyed reading, board games, spending time with her family and friends, and she was a rabid fan of the Georgia Bulldogs. She was also very active in the life of her final church home since 2003, Beech Haven Baptist Church in Athens.
Survivors include her brothers G. Donald (Joy) Summers of Big Canoe, Georgia and Jesse Glenn Summers, Jr. (widowed) of Hapeville, Georgia; sister, Ellen Summers (Larry) Elliott of Jacksonville, Florida; daughter, Constance Carswell Messer (widowed) of Athens; son, Benjamin Edward (Patricia) Carswell of Nashville, Tennessee; daughter, Jennifer Carswell (Raymond) King of Tunnel Hill, Georgia; son, Matthew Everett (Barbara) Carswell of St. Louis, Missouri; and, grandchildren, Adam Messer of Medford, Oregon; Mary Lindley Carswell of Nashville; Melissa Moorer of Dalton, Georgia; Andrea Messer of Milford, New Hampshire; Jonathan Moorer of Dalton; and, Jackson Carswell of St. Louis. Mary is also survived by several nieces and nephews, whom she loved very much.
Visitation will be held at Bernstein Funeral Home at 3195 Atlanta Highway, Athens, Georgia 30606 on Wednesday, May 15, 2019 at 9 AM, followed by a celebration service in the funeral home chapel at 10 AM. A private graveside burial service will be held for the family at College Park Cemetery in College Park, Georgia. Both services will be officiated by Beech Haven Baptist Church Associate Pastor, Rev. John Walker. Pallbearers will include Keith Summers of Big Canoe; Raymond King of Tunnel Hill; Dan Kassner of Milford, New Hampshire; and, Jonathan Moorer of Dalton. Honorary pallbearers are Donald Summers of Big Canoe and Edward Cavnar of Katy, Texas.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to World Wildlife Fund, Georgia Public Broadcasting and Beech Haven Baptist Church.
The family wishes to extend its gratitude to the staff at Thrive of Athens for the love, care and support shown to Mary in her final years.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.BernsteinFuneralHome.com for the Carswell family.
