Mary Mell Battey
Augusta, GA – Mary Mell Battey, beloved sister, mother, and grandmother passed away peacefully at her cherished Augusta home surrounded by family members on May 18, 2015 after an extended illness.
Mrs. Battey, the youngest of three children, was born in Wayne, PA on July 20, 1930 to Augusta natives Patrick Hues Mell and Margaret Loyless. Her grandfather, Thomas Loyless, was the editor of the Augusta Chronicle newspaper in the early 1900’s. A graduate of Radnor High School in Wayne, PA, Mrs. Battey entered Georgetown Nursing School where she became reacquainted with family friend, Louis LeGarde Battey. They were married on September 15, 1951 and remained together for 56 years until his death in 2008. After raising her five children, Mrs. Battey returned to school and earned her BA in history from Augusta College in 1980, supporting her lifelong interest in historic preservation. This passion included moving her grandmother’s Sand Hills cottage family home from Hickman Road in Augusta to its present location in Highgate in 1967. Mrs. Battey was active in the Augusta Symphony, Augusta Ballet, the Colonial Dames, Historic Augusta, the Sand Hills Garden Club, the Sun Dial Garden Club, the Junior League of Augusta, the Augusta Country Club, and the Augusta Assembly. She was a volunteer at St. Joseph’s Hospital and President of the St. Mary’s Auxiliary. She enjoyed reading, visiting her wonderful home in the North Carolina mountains, tending her garden, and above all spending quality time with her friends, children, and grandchildren. She will be remembered by those who knew her best as a gracious, loving and dependable friend, parent, and grandparent.
Mrs. Battey was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Louis LeGarde Battey and her sister, Peg Morton. She is survived by her brother, Thomas Mell, of Palo Alto, CA, her brother-in-law, William Toole of Augusta, her cousin, Mary Ann Baggs of Augusta, her five children: Dr. Louis LeGarde Battey, Jr. and his wife, Pam, of Atlanta, Dr. Patrick Mell Battey and his wife, Cindy, of Atlanta, Alex Dugas Battey and his wife, Robbi, of Mendham, NJ, Thomas Mell Battey of Hillsborough, NC, and Mary Battey Moses and her husband, Tim, of Augusta, and her ten grandchildren: Louis III and Samantha Battey of Atlanta, Mary Alex Battey Bailey of Washington, D.C., Patrick Battey, Jr. of Atlanta, Caroline Battey of San Diego, CA, Alex, Jr. and Cate Battey of Mendham, NJ, and Matthew, Mollie, and Drew Moses of Augusta. She is also survived by 12 nieces and nephews with whom she maintained strong ties and close relationships.
The family is truly thankful for the tremendous outpouring of love and support at this time of loss. They especially want to express their love and deep gratitude to Rebecca Hawes for the unwavering friendship and loving care shown to Mrs. Battey during her final years. They also very much appreciate the help and support shown by Claudine Townes, Tijuana Doby, Tara Walker, and Teresa Lyons who were her additional caregivers for these past nine months.
A funeral mass will be held on Thursday, May 21, 2015 at 12:00 P.M. at St. Mary on the Hill Catholic Church. Burial will follow in Summerville Cemetery. The family will receive friends following the graveside service at her family home.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be sent to Georgia Regents University Health Research (c/o Georgia Health Services Foundation, 1120 15th St. Fl-1045, Augusta, GA 30912) specifying either Breast Cancer Research or Neurology Research.
Thomas Poteet & Son Funeral Directors, 214 Davis Rd., Augusta, GA 30907 (706) 364-8484. Please sign the guestbook at www.thomaspoteet.com