Marion Louise Baughn Harwell, 98, of Covington, GA, passed away April 6, 2014 at Abbey Hospice in Social Circle, GA. The middle of three sisters born to William Alexander Baughn and Jennie Wilder Steerman Baughn, Marion is survived by her younger sister, Bettemae (Mrs. Taylor S.) Womack, of Auburn, AL. Other survivors include her sons, Nat Harwell (Louise) and Rhee Harwell of Covington; four nieces; three nephews; four grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; nearly two dozen great-nieces, great-nephews, great-great-nieces and great-great-nephews; and a wide circle of friends.
Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and moving as her father’s work demanded during “the roaring ’20’s,” Marion’s family eventually settled in old Atlanta where she attended North Avenue Presbyterian School (NAPS) which became Westminster Schools, a member of the class of 1933. In 1937 Marion received her BA in Art from Georgia State College for Women (GSCW) which became Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville. After a brief stint as art teacher in Jackson, GA, she worked for the Georgia State Health Department in years immediately preceding, and throughout, World War II. She became engaged to her beloved husband, Davis Gray Harwell, Jr., in 1941 just before the attack on Pearl Harbor. The couple elected to wait until after the war to marry, doing so in 1945. After 12 years in Decatur, GA, where her husband worked for Associated Mutual Insurance, the couple moved to Greensboro, GA, where Marion began her career as a business education teacher at Greene County High School. Davis preceded her in death an astounding 46 years ago, in August of 1968.
Following her retirement from teaching, Marion moved to Covington, GA, eventually living the last 26 years of her life with her oldest son and family. A voluntary media assistant for a quarter-century at Ficquett Elementary School, Marion also attended ceramics classes at the Turner Lake Senior Center up until two weeks prior to her demise. Marion taught the Mens’ Bible Sunday School Class at the First United Methodist Church in the 1990’s, and also faithfully attended the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, where she was a member of The Daughters of the King. Additionally, Marion could be found nearly every Friday afternoon at Wattie’s Beauty Shop having her hair fixed by her beloved hairdresser, Sondra Shaw.
A public viewing and family visitation will be held at J.C. Harwell and Son Funeral Home in Covington, GA Monday, April 7, from 4-6pm. The funeral service will be Tuesday, April 8, at 11am at The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in Covington, GA, with Father Edwin Beckham and Rev. Dr. Doug Gilreath officiating. Later that day a private, family-only, internment will take place in Washington, GA, at Resthaven Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that anyone interested in honoring Marion Louise Baughn Harwell do so by donating to the building fund of The Church of the Good Shepherd, or to the Pastor’s Fund at Covington First United Methodist Church.
