Mary Wadley

Mary Willard Rayfield Wadley, of Akron, passed away Friday, October 17, 2014, at DCH following a brief illness. Services will be held at 11AM Friday, October 24th at Akron Baptist Church with Bro. Bryan Allen and Bro. Joe Wallace officiating. Burial will follow at Mt. Hebron Cemetery in Akron with Magnolia Chapel South directing. Visitation will be Thursday evening from 6 to 8 at Magnolia Chapel. Mrs. Wadley was preceded in death by her husband, Douglas Wadley; her parents Carl and Eva Rayfield, her sisters Allene, Evelyn, Eva Lou, and Louise, and brothers Durall and Tom Allen. She is survived by brothers Carl Edward Rayfield and Robert Hall Rayfield; her children Mary Anne Long (Tom), Marlyn Ogburn (Walt), Bobby Wadley (Diana), and Billy Wadley (Mary).She is also survived by thirteen grandchildren and seventeen great grandchildren. Mrs. Wadley was born on May 12, 1919 near Greensboro, Ala. She was the fifth of nine children. Most of her childhood was spent in Havana Junction and Akron, Ala. Following high school, she attended and graduated from Livingston State Teachers College. In 1943 she married the love of her life, William Douglas Wadley. The family lived in Akron, Birmingham, and Atlanta, Ga. Mrs. Wadley taught school in Vernon, Ala. and Akron, Ala. She also worked in the cafeteria at Walker High School in Atlanta for many years. She was very active in her church, teaching Sunday School, singing in the choir, directing children"�s programs, and Women"�s Missionary Union. She also took a leadership role in PTA while her children were in elementary school, serving as President of the PTA. Following retirement, Mr. and Mrs. Wadley returned to the Akron, Ala. area and built a home near their daughter Mary Anne. They enjoyed good health for many years, traveled to visit their children, gardened, and were active members of Akron Baptist Church. Mrs. Wadley loved to cross stitch, and made cross stitched Christmas stockings for all her children, their spouses, her grandchildren, their spouses, and her great grandchildren. She also loved to cook, can vegetables from the garden, and visit with her mother and sisters, who lived nearby. Pallbearers will be grandsons Walter Ogburn IV, Douglas Ogburn, Bobby Wadley, and Billy Wadley; and great grandsons Stephen Hodge and Jason Hodge. In lieu of flowers, the family asks those who wish to make a donation in her honor to donate to Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan"�s Purse. It gave Mrs. Wadley great joy to pack boxes for this program, and she looked forward to it each year.