Mrs. Mary Veal Andrews, age 91, of Deepstep, passed away on Saturday, March 6, 2021 at the Washington County Extended Care Facility. A graveside funeral service will be held on Tuesday, March 9th at 2:00 P.M. in the Deepstep Methodist Church Cemetery. Reverend Jimmy Harris will officiate. For family and friends who would like to pay their respects, Mrs. Andrews will lie in state at the May and Smith Funeral Home from 9:00 A.M. until 12:00 P.M. on Tuesday.
Mrs. Andrews was born on March 18, 1929 and passed away just 12 days before her 92nd birthday. She was preceded in death by her husband, Nathaniel Francis Andrews; her daughter, Barbara Gail Andrews; her parents, James Wright Veal and Fannie Ruth Martin Veal; her sisters Grace Veal Harris and her husband Cyrus, Ann Veal Pittman and her husband Buford, and her twin sister, Martha Veal Helton and her husband Ernie; and three nephews, Darryl Glenn Harris, Terry L. Pittman, and James Phillips Pittman.
A native of Deepstep, Mrs. Andrews graduated from the ninth grade at the Deepstep Elementary School and from the Sandersville High School in 1946. In January 1980, she completed a correspondence course in Accredited Records Techniques. Wherever Mrs. Andrews worked or in whatever she did, she was dedicated, conscientious, and paid attention to detail.
Mrs. Andrews married Francis Andrews in June of 1948 and in 1951 they moved to Milledgeville. While in Milledgeville, she participated in fund-raising events for afflicted children. She was an excellent seamstress, homemaker, and loving wife to her husband of 59 years and a loving and caring mother for 20 years to her invalid daughter, Gail. After losing Gail in January of 1970, Mrs. Andrews worked for Central State Hospital for 21 years, retiring as a clerk senior. In 1980, they purchased the A.G. Veal home place in Deepstep and returned to live in this large house while they upgraded it.
Mrs. Andrews accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior in 1963 and was baptized at Hardwick Baptist Church. Upon moving to Deepstep, she moved her membership to Smyrna Baptist Church, where she was Smyrna’s oldest member. At Smyrna, Mrs. Andrews served on the pulpit and finance committees, sang in the church choir, and was the church’s assistant pianist. She was a Gideon Auxiliary member and served the auxiliary in many roles. In the late 1980’s and through the 1990’s, she and her husband joined Carpenters for Christ, where they helped build approximately 14 churches throughout the United States. She actively supported churches as far as in Alaska, Hawaii, and Canada. She was a member of the Merrie Makers choral group in Milledgeville until she stopped driving at night. This group sang religious songs at various events. Mrs. Andrews and her husband loved gospel music and personally knew many of the traveling quartet groups in their area. They traveled to hear them when possible.
Mrs. Andrews, in her late 80’s and at the age of 90, cared for her twin sister, Martha, during Martha’s failing health. After both lost their husbands, these sisters were nearly inseparable.
Mrs. Andrews was an independent person and one that loved to garden. After six months of trying to regain her abilities following two strokes, she said that her life was anything but pleasant. She stated, “nobody ever cared for me like Jesus and to die in the Lord would be a sweet by and by.”
The family would like to express their sincerest gratitude to her at-home caretakers and to the doctors and nurses at ECF Nursing home for their love and care.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, P.O. Box 1000, Dept. 495, St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN. 38101-9801 or to Gideons International, Processing Center, P.O. Box 97251, Washington DC 20090-7251.
May and Smith Funeral Directors is in charge of these arrangements.