Gwinnett Daily Post

Funeral Services for Mary Garner Fitts will be held Thursday at 11:00 a.m. at Shandon United Methodist Church, with burial in Greenlawn Memorial Park. Pallbearers will be Dr. Charles Thomas Fitts III, Dr. William Arnold Johnson, Jr., Dr. Brandon Fitts Johnson, Scott Howard Loudenback, Roy Griffeth Holcomb, and James Hood Garner. Honorary pallbears will be Carl Andrew Garner, Robert Athel Garner, Farmer Richard Garner and the Christian Home Sunday School Class. Memorials may be made to Shandon United Methodist Church, the American Cancer Society, or the charity of your choice. Mrs. Fitts died March 7, 2005, in Columbia. Born August 9 in Norcross, Georgia, she was the daughter of the late Mary Lankford Garner and James Richard Garner and the youngest of seven children, all of whom predeceased her. She graduated from Norcross High School and Brenau College of Gainesville, Georgia, where she was a member of Delta Zeta sorority. Mrs. Fitts taught second grade in the Atlanta City Schools for six years. A resident of Columbia since 1957, Mrs. Fitts was a member of Shandon United Methodist Church, the Christian Home Sunday School Class, Louise Munnerlyn Circle, Rose Garden Club, and the USC chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She is survived by her husband of almost 67 years, Charles Thomas Fitts; one son, C. Thomas (Tom) Fitts, Jr., and his wife, Sandy Hudson Fits of Lugoff; one daughter, Sandra Fitts Johnson and her husband, Dr. William A. Johnson of Columbia; and five grandchildren, Dr. Charles Thomas (Trey) Fitts III of Columbia, Meredith Fitts Loudenback and her husband, Scott Howard Loudenback of Jacksonville, Florida, Dr. Garner Johnson Wild of Columbia, Dr. William Arnold (Will) Johnson, Jr. and his wife, Katherine Harding Johnson of Columbia, and Dr. Brandon Fitts Johnson and his wife, Shannon Pinel Johnson of Columbia. Mrs. Fitts is also survived by four great-grandchildren, Mark David Wild, Jr., Blakely Johnson Wild, William Arnold Johnson III, and Mary Wyatt Johnson all of Columbia; sister-in-law, Catherine Fitts Bryant and her husband, Ted Bryant of Dothan, Alabama; and numerous nieces, nephews, and friends. Known to her grandchildren and many friends as MaMa Peach, Mrs. Fitts was the ultimate optimist and lived a wonderful life, never wavering from an unconditional devotion to family and an abundant faith in God. Her philosophy of life could be summed up in three words: family, happiness, and love. Even as she faced life-threatening illnesses in the last decades of her life, she never lost faith in the will of God to see her through, and she never complained or uttered a negative word about her condition. She enjoyed all her family immensely, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. As a result her grandchildren have wonderful memories of growing up with the “Royal Peaches,” and her life will no doubt serve as a worthy example of how to live their lives. Her family gives a special thanks to Dr. Bill Babcock, Dr. Stan Juk, and Baptist Medical Center for their loving care.