NELL SPENCE McCARLEY
Mrs. Eula Nell Spence Rowland McCarley of Bowdon, Georgia passed away Friday, October 21, 2005.
She was born December 5, 1908 in the Lowell Community of Carroll County. She was the daughter of John Robert and Eula Foster Spence. At an early age she joined the Lowell Methodist Church. She attended the Lowell School and graduated from Bowdon High School in 1927. She graduated from Bowdon College in 1929 and did additional work at the University of Georgia and West Georgia College. She taught in the public schools of Carroll County from 1929 to 1943 working in the Whitesburg, Bowdon, Tyus and Burwell Communities.
In August of 1930 she married S. Clyde Rowland. In 1955 she resumed teaching in Roopville until the untimely death of her husband in December of that year. She was married to Robert F. McCarley for 47 years until his death in 2004.
Mrs. McCarley was an active member of Bowdon Baptist Church where she taught Sunday School in the nursery and beginners department for a quarter century. She was in the first Joy Singers Choir and served on the first church by-laws committee. She was an active member of the Martha Sunday School Class. She served as a Girl Scout leader and was a long time office in the Bowdon PTA organizations. She was a member of the original Bowdon Hospital Authority and was named 2004 Senior Citizen of the year in Bowdon “in recognition of good citizenship, life long commitment to education, community involvement, and good sense for moving to Bowdon in 1925.” A charter member of The As You Like It Club, Nell also enjoyed gardening, baking, crocheting and bridge.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her brothers Leo, Adel, Render, Woodrow and Ney Spence; sister Angeline Hollingsworth and children Eula Claire Rowland and an infant son.
She is survived by two daughters and son-in-law Kay Nell and Seab Whatley and Jan Johnson; two step-sons and wives Thomas and Vera McCarley and Glenn and Thu McCarley; four grandsons and wives Sea and April Whatley, Robert and Jennifer Whatley, Bret and Julie Hart, and John Hart; two granddaughters and husband Beth Camp, and Spence and Rob Ramsey. Four step-grandchildren Tom McCarley, Susan McCarley, Marianne McCarley, Kevan McCarley. Nine great-grandchildren; Shelby, Ashley and C.J. Whatley, Lauren Camp, Alexandra and Samantha Ramsey, Caleb Whatley, Abigail and Olivia Hart.
Funeral services will be held Monday, October 24, 2005 at 3:00 P.M. from the Bowdon Baptist Church with Dr. J. Howard Cobble officiating. Music will be furnished by Patsy Bentley. Mary Frances Wilson will be the organist. Pallbearers will be Bret Hart, John Hart, Robert Whatley, Robert Ramsey, Seab Whatley and Jerry Stober. Honorary pallbearers will be the Martha Sunday School Class and the As You Like It Club. The family request that in lieu of flowers make donations to the Bowdon Baptist Church Building Fund or to the General Fund. Interment will follow in the Bowdon City Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home Sunday from 5-8 P.M.
Rainwater Funeral Home of Bowdon, Georgia will be in charge of the arrangements
