Sandra Smisson Tolleson's Obituary
ST. SIMONS ISLAND-
Sandra Smisson Tolleson, 73, formerly of Perry, passed away on Tuesday, November 26, 2013. Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, November 30, 2013, at 11:00 a.m. at Perry United Methodist Church in Perry, Georgia. Interment will be in Evergreen Cemetery in Perry immediately following the service. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully suggests donations to The Westfield School, P. O. Box 2300, Perry, Georgia 31069 or Wesleyan College, 4760 Forsyth Road, Macon, Georgia 31210 or Perry United Methodist Church, 1002 Carroll Street, Perry, Georgia 31069.
Mrs. Tolleson was born in Peach County to the late Hugh Franklin Smisson, Sr. and Emily Wright Smisson. She grew up in Peach County where she graduated from Ft. Valley High School. She attended The University of Georgia and Mercer University before graduating from Wesleyan College. She moved to Houston County when she married Mell Tolleson, Sr. in 1960. Mrs. Tolleson was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), was named Outstanding Junior Member of DAR for the state of Georgia in her early years, and was a member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC). She was a member of Perry United Methodist Church, where she was a member of the IHS Sunday School Class, the "Say-So" United Methodist Women's Circle, and was a former Sunday School Teacher. Mrs. Tolleson was on the Board of Trustees at The Westfield School for 7 years and was a member of the Houston County Hospital Authority. A charter member of The Beltista Club of Perry, she was a Past-President and a Past Antiques Show Chairman. Mrs. Tolleson, along with her husband who owned Mellco, Inc., hosted many quail hunters and friends for years at their homeplace, Elko Plantation. After Mr. Tolleson passed away, she moved to Macon and later to St. Simons Island to be near her son and his family. She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 39 years, Mell Smith Tolleson, Sr.; her sister, Emily Carolyn Smisson Duke; her sister-in-law, Joan Fox Smisson; her sister-in-law, Joyce T. Brown; her sister-in-law, Marianne Tolleson; her brother-in-law, J. M. "Buddy" Tolleson, Jr.; her sister-in-law, Barbara T. Baker; and her brother-in-law, T. R. "Buck" Tolleson, Sr.
Left to cherish the memories of Mrs. Tolleson are her son, Mell Smith "Tee" Tolleson, Jr. (Marti) of St. Simons Island; her daughter, Emily Keith Tolleson Bayless of Davidson, North Carolina; her grandchildren, Mell Smith "Trae" Tolleson, III, Sallie Diana "Sallie" Tolleson, Samuel Joseph "Sam" Bayless, and Josephine McKibben "Josie" Bayless; her brothers, Hugh F. Smisson, Sr. (LaWahna) of Macon, F. Wright Smisson (Louise) of Bonaire, and Clayton Smisson of Montana; her sister-in-law, Mary Tolleson of Perry; and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews.
The family would like to express warmest thanks to the many caregivers of Magnolia Manor on St. Simons Island and Hospice of the Golden Isles.
Friends are invited to leave condolences for the family in the online guestbook at www.watsonhunt.com.
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