Mary A. Stallings (AUGUSTA, Ga.)

AUGUSTA, Ga. - Services for Mary Elizabeth Allen Stallings, of 1425 Lee Beard Way, Augusta, Ga., will be held 1 p.m. Saturday, February 21, 2009 at Beulah Grove Baptist Church, Augusta, Ga., with burial at the Bellevue Memorial Gardens, Augusta, Ga. The wake will be held at the Old Tobacco Road location of Williams Funeral Home on Friday, February 20, 2009 from 6:30-8 p.m. Ms. Stallings entered into eternal rest on Thursday, February 12, 2009 at the Trinity Hospital in Augusta, Ga. Mary A. Stallings, widow of the late Reverend R. W. Stallings, who pastored at Mt. Zion Baptist Church for over 30 years, was the daughter of the late Maggie Moye Allen and the Reverend Elijah Allen, Sr. She was born in Waynesboro, Ga. and attended Morris College in Sumter, S.C. Mary A. Stallings was the first of five children. She was educated in the private schools of Barnwell, S.C. and New York City, N.Y. She attended high school in Augusta, Ga. and later received her high school diploma from Morris College (High School), Sumter, S.C. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English at Morris College, Sumter, S.C., a Masters of Arts degree in Career Counseling from the University of South Carolina, Columbia, S.C., and took post graduate studies at Clemson University, Clemson, S.C. and South Carolina State College, Orangeburg, S.C. She earned a Masters degree from Columbia University, New York, N.Y. Mary A. Stallings taught and counseled students over thirty years. She was a classroom teacher and career counselor. She began her career as Assistant Registrar at Morris College, Sumter, S.C. Later, she was employed by the Sumter School District 17 as an English teacher, Reading Supervisor and Coordinator (Lincoln High and Bates Junior High Schools). In 1970, she was employed by the Lee County Board of Education as a school career counselor (Ashwood-Central and Bishopville High Schools). She was affiliated with the South Carolina Education Association, the Sumter County Education Association, and the National Education Association; an active member in the National Council Teachers of English, the South Carolina Teachers of English, the American Personnel Guidance Association, and the South Carolina Personnel Guidance Association. She received many honors and awards for her outstanding work. Mary A. Stallings joined her husband, the late Reverend R.W. Stallings, during his pastorate at the Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Sumter, S.C. in 1948. They worked to improve situations that would really make a difference in religious and Christian endeavors. She was a dedicated and faithful member for over 30 years. During that period of time, she reorganized and organized many youth and adult auxiliaries and served in numerous leadership positions. She always found ways to teach and improve religious aspects of the church and assisted her husband in finding techniques to increase membership, to build the church programs, and to improve the beautification of the physical plant. She was truly a model - educator of her day in both public and religious education. In 1983, she retired from both the school system and church work to take care of her husband whose health was continuing to decline. After his death, she restored her membership at Mt. Zion. In addition to Mary Stallings' professional and church affiliations, she was a member of the Morris College Sumter Alumni Chapter and the Morris College National Alumni Association (MCNAA); and founder and Chairperson of the MCNAA Class reunion. She was the founder of the North Main Street (Morris College) Girl Scout Troops, Co-founder of the Fannie S. Ivey Girl Scout Troop Organization of Sumter; member of the Student Advisory Council, Sumter Area Technical College, Parent Advisory Council, Wil Lou Gray Opportunity School, Columbia, S.C.; and many other community activities. Survivors include a caring son, Roosevelt Jerone Stallings, M.D., Evans, Ga.; a devoted daughter, Jackie Stallings Evans, Alpharetta, Ga.; three adopted children, Antoinette Taylor, Columbia, S.C., George Taylor, Austin, Texas, and Eric Taylor, Brooklyn, N.Y.; a brother, Elijah Allen and a sister, Martha Jones, both of Brooklyn, N.Y.; a daughter-in-law, Jawannia Stallings; a son-in-law, Michael Evans; six grandchildren, Howard, Jarmaur, Sincerai, Hassan, Jamaal, Tariq and Sincere; one great-grand child, Lelani Jai; one brother-in- law; one sister-in-law; and two dedicated friends, Leo Richardson and Agnes Burgess; a dedicated friend/caretaker, Johnnie Mae White; dedicated neighbors; and a host of nieces, nephews and other close relatives and friends. Sign the guestbook at AugustaChronicle.com

The Augusta Chronicle-February 19, 2009