Mary (Billingsley) Garth

Mary Billingsley Garth

Mary Eliza Billingsley Garth, 92, of Paoli, Indiana, formerly of St. Louis, peacefully passed into heaven on February 23, 2013 in West Bloomfield Michigan.  She was born October 10, 1920 in Middlesboro Kentucky to William Arthur and Lennie Williamson Billingsley.  She married John Whitney Garth of St. Louis, Missouri on January 20, 1946 in Middlesboro Kentucky.  She graduated from Middlesboro High School in 1938 and from Eastern Kentucky State Teachers College in 1942.  She received a Masters Degree from Washington University in St. Louis in 1966 and a second Masters from University of Missouri St. Louis in 1973.   Mary taught math and chemistry at Middlesboro High School from 1942-45, taught math in Clarksdale Mississippi in 1946, and was a math teacher at Ritenour High School in St. Louis from 1960-83.  Her family attended Normandy Presbyterian Church in St. Louis and she was a devoted member of First Presbyterian Church of Paoli.

Mary Garth is survived by her daughters Nancy (E. Joseph) Kimmel of Paoli Indiana, Cindy (Roy) Prentice of Novi Michigan, and son Gary (Jeannie) Garth of Vancouver, WA; eight grandchildren:  Garth Michael Kimmel of New Salisbury Indiana, Luke Daniel Kimmel currently living in Africa, Chase Billingsley Kimmel of Indianapolis Indiana; Minnette Susan Prentice of Novi Michigan, Samuel Hanson Prentice of Grayling Michigan;  Lydia Mary Thralls of  Vancouver Washington, Whitney Derek Garth  of Phoenix Arizona,  Wesley Sawyer Garth of  Vancouver Washington;  four great-grandchildren: Owen, Elyza, and Reed Kimmel of New Salisbury Indiana and Reese Kimmel of Africa;  two sisters: Vivian Miller of LaFollette Tennessee and Janet Matthews of Middlesboro Kentucky.

Mary Garth was preceded in death by her loving husband, John Whitney Garth in 2003, her brothers William Howard and Joseph Henry Billingsley and her sisters Helen Smith and Fannie Wyatt.

Mary was one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet.  She and John volunteered regularly at Throop School and Bloomington Hospital of Orange County.  They also delivered Meals-on-Wheels, volunteered for the American Red Cross, and participated in the St. Louis Senior Olympics for many years, where she always took first place in Free Throw Shooting with her granny shot.  During the Depression, she got up at 4 AM to bottle and deliver milk before going to school.  Her family was the most important thing in her life:  she was a devoted sister, wife, and loving mom, grandma, and great-grandma.

Visitation will be at Dillman-Scott Funeral Home, 226 W Campbell Street in Paoli, Indiana, this coming Friday from 3 PM to 8 PM and from 9 AM until the time of service on Saturday at the church.  A service celebrating her life will be held Saturday, March 2, 2013 at 10 am at the Paoli Presbyterian Church, 110 NE 1st Street in Paoli IN 47454, Reverend Nancy Waters officiating followed by interment at Paoli Community Cemetery.

The family requests that expressions of sympathy be sent to the 1 ^st Presbyterian Church of Paoli or Orange County Humane Society.  Donations to the Church will be used to enhance the sound system for persons with hearing difficulties.