Born September 21, 1926, Mae grew up in St. Clair County during the Great Depression. She and her eight siblings survived through the toil by faith and ingenuity of their parents, Annie Mae and William Oliver Swindall. Mae helped raise several of her siblings and around the age of 16 moved to Gadsden.
During her years in Gadsden, Mae studied cosmetology and opened her own shop on Crabapple Lane on Lookout Mountain. She was a beautician and barber for many years before pursuing interior design and remodeling houses. The first house was on Haralson Ave, restored from a condemned structure and won an award from Gadsden’s Board of Realtors for beautification. Mae was also a talented artist and seamstress, which could be seen within the homes she remodeled.
Mae was a devoted mother and a loving grandmother. She will be greatly missed by her family and friends.
Mae was proceeded in death by her parents, five of her siblings, and beloved son Gary Lee Monk, who died shortly after birth.
Mae is survived by sisters Annie Ruth Adams (San Mateo, CA), Mary Sue Little (Birmingham), and William Gray Swindall (Gadsden), her two daughters, Ruth Sherrill Cummings of Meadville, PA and Sue Monk (Michael) Smith of Birmingham, AL and son Bill (Bobbie) Monk of Gadsden.
Grandchildren are Heather Kelly of Los Angeles, CA, Elizabeth Walker (Alexander) Spencer of Long Island, NY, Timothy Walker, Meadville, PA; Great-grandchildren are Susannah, Katherine, Emma and Timothy Spencer of Long Island, NY.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, January 7 from 11:30am to 12:30pm at Collier Butler Funeral Home. Service at 12:30 with the Rev. Jon Guthery and Rev. Bud Swindall. Burial will be in Forest Cemetery. Collier-Butler Funeral and Cremation Services will direct.
Mae’s family would like to give a heartfelt thank you to Eddie Cox, Bob Guthery, the staff at Meadowood Retirement Village, and SouthernCare Hospice. In lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation be made to The Salvation Army, ASPCA, or a charity of your choosing.
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