On February 1, 2011, Mae Hart completed her journey here, gained her freedom and returned to her Home and her loving Father. Born Hazel Mae Baughtman on August 1, 1918, to L.N. Baughtman and Emma Baughtman in Heard County, she lived most of her life in Carrollton, Ga.

To those who knew her, Mae eagerly learned many things in life but above all she learned to love, to give and to receive. She loved her spiritual Father, lived and longed for an ever increasing knowing of that love and faith. She depended upon and leaned into that love and faith. Oh, how she loved her family, husband, Lance Hart, who preceded her in death, her children, Deborah, Michael, Lancene, and Larry, who also preceded her in death, and her grandchildren, Amy Cadora, Shelly Cadora, Kevin Cadora, Ashley Hart, Melissa Sanderson, Jessica Harman, Bret Hart and John Hart; and her 17 great-grandchildren.

Mae loved people and she never met a stranger. It was not uncommon for her to say to a stranger, “Hi, I am Mae Hart, I go to St. Andrew Church and where do you go to church?”

Most days found her in touch with family and friends, bridging, healing, encouraging and sharing. She lived her life filled with spirit, faith and determination meeting challenges with steely resolve and patient surrender. Those challenges included a hard-won high school diploma after leaving school to help support her family, successfully developing and running a business, Mae’s Beauty Shop, for 40 years, only retiring at 81. Retirement was filled with fun and excitement as she was devoted to Senior Olympics and brought home to Carrollton many gold medals in walking and horseshoe pitching. She flourished under her competitive spirit and the loving support of her daughter, Deborah.

Mae was a faithful member of St. Andrew United Methodist Church where she joyfully sang in the choir over 40 years. She loved to sing taking opera lessons at 67 saying as she often did “I can’t do it yesterday.”

She loved to laugh; laughter was a choice often instead of tears.

Mae’s last few years were marked by Alzheimer’s, but it failed to define her. She continued to give and receive love and live with dignity under the especially watchful guardianship of her husband Lance, daughter Deborah and caregivers, Sylvia Mooney and Marie Mooney. We will daily miss our strong mentor, friend, mother, sister, grandmother and great-grandmother as we celebrate her return home to peace, joy and everlasting love.

Funeral services will be conducted Friday, February 4, 2011, at 1 p.m. from St. Andrew United Methodist Church with Rev. Karen Kagiyama and Rev. Robert Manley officiating. Pallbearers will be Mike Hart, Deborah Hart, Lancene Cadora, Bret Hart, John Hart and John Baggett. Interment will follow in Carroll Memory Gardens.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m.

Messages of condolences may be sent to the family at www.martin-hightower.com.

Martin & Hightower Heritage Chapel, Carrollton.