Mary Anne Batten

Mary Anne Mallard Batten, 90, a native of Jacksonville, Florida passed away on September 3, 2011. Born February 18, 1921, to the late Joseph Bond Mallard, Sr. and Gertrude Amanda Patterson Mallard. Mary Anne was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Newton Leonard Batten, Jr., two sons, Newton Leonard “Len” Batten III and Robert Mallard Batten, and sisters, Emily Acree of Jacksonville and Pat Glenn of Crescent, GA.

Mary Anne was a member of St. Johns Presbyterian Church, a graduate of Robert E. Lee High School and Draughon Business School of Commerce in Atlanta, GA. She was a past member of the Jacksonville Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, a Charter member of the St. John’s River Chapter of the daughters of the American Revolution, and past member of the Jacksonville Garden Club.

During WWII she worked as a draftsman for the Navy in Jacksonville, FL and Norman, OK. Mary Anne married her high school sweetheart, N.L., in Merced, CA on May 2, 1943. She worked for American Export Airlines at LaGuardia Field, New York, while N.L. served in the Army Air Force stationed in the Azores during the war. Upon returning to Jacksonville, Mary Anne worked for J.B. Mallard and Sons. After raising a family of four children, she worked for Florida Junior College, Kent Campus, until retirement.

Dearly loved, she is survived by daughters, Mary B. (Steve) Barton, Gertrude “Trudy” M. Peterson and daughter-in-law, Carole N. (Robert) Batten; sister, Irene Slater and brother, Joseph B. Mallard, Jr. She is also survived by seven grandchildren, Glenn (Lauren) Gibson, Erin (Marc) Melton, J. Thomas Barton, Mary Millissa (Jim) Batten Bowls, Zachary (Shana) Richardson, Adrienne Richardson, and Evan Peterson; five great-grandchildren, Chase, Ashleigh and Aubry Richardson, Owen Gibson, and Briana Melton, and many nieces and nephews.

Graveside services will be held at Evergreen Cemetery (Gate #5), 4535 Main St., Jacksonville, FL on September 7, 2011 at 3:00 PM with Dr. Stephan C. Barton officiating. Family visitation will be held at 1:30 PM at the funeral home prior to the graveside service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. John’s Presbyterian Church, 4275 Herschel St., Jacksonville, FL 32210. Arrangements under the care of Hardage-Giddens Edgewood Chapel, 729 S. Edgewood Ave., Jacksonville, FL 32205 (904) 388-2711. www.hardage-giddensedgewood.com