Visitation will be from 6:00pm until 8:00pm on March 22 at the Floral Hills Funeral Home.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00am on March 23, 2019 also at the Floral Hills Funeral Home with Richard Gathany officiating. Burial will follow at the Floral Hills Cemetery. The Floral Hills location is 3150 Lawrenceville Highway, Tucker GA 30084.
Jessie Lee Mayfield-Gathany was born in Toccoa, GA to Doris Guynell Mayfield and Willena Sargent Mayfield on January 30, 1946. She married Richard S. Gathany on September 23, 1978 in Decatur, GA. In 1980 her son, Stephen, was born in Detroit, MI, and in 1989 her daughter, Nicole, was born in Decatur, GA.
Jessie Lee Mayfield-Gathany went to Whitman Street School in Toccoa, GA and graduated as salutatorian of her high school class. She graduated from Savannah State University with a Bachelor’s degree in sociology and economics in 1969. She also graduated from the University of Georgia with a Master’s of Social Work in 1975. She taught Social Work at North Georgia College (now University) in Dahlonega, GA (where she was the first African-American professor), Mercy College of Detroit and Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, MI. In 1988 she became a Licensed Clinical Social Worker for the DeKalb Community Service Board. She was active in the community supporting her children’s sports activities and volunteering as Girl Scout leader. She was an officer on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Social Workers Georgia Chapter and, even in retirement, assisted for several years in the organization of their State Conventions.
Jessie Lee Mayfield-Gathany is preceded in death by her parents and her brothers James Henry Mayfield and Robert Guynell Mayfield.
Jessie Lee Mayfield-Gathany is survived by her husband, Richard S. Gathany, her son, Stephen Gathany (Jenine), her daughter, Nicole Gathany, her sisters Earllena Mayfield Green (Bobbie-deceased), and Mary Jo Mayfield Young (James), brother-in-law, Timothy Gathany (Eleanor), sisters-in-law, Rebecca Gathany-Bailey (Donald) and Deborah Gathany-Keeney (Rick), Grandchildren, Eva Noor Gathany, Wesley Ghaleb Gathany, Jordan Robert Gathany and Ramzi Benjamin Gathany, three nieces and eleven nephews.
Pallbearers will be Brian Flower, Grant Gilbert, Chris Hambie, Pernell Mayfield, Ben McKenzie, and Mahari Young.
In lieu of flowers Memorials may be given to the Whitman Street Scholarship Fund:
Whitman Street Alumni Association
c/o Danny Burke
159 Wood Street
Toccoa, GA 30577
The family of Jessie Lee Mayfield-Gathany wishes to extend our sincere thanks to:
Milkshake Mayfield–Jazz trumpeter extraordinaire– [email protected]
Corey Taylor – Pianist and Piano Instructor. [email protected]
A friend who wishes to be anonymous has provided for the videotaping.
