Mary Frances Dove

Mary Dove, 92, of Athens, went home to the Father peacefully on June 14, 2025, surrounded by her children and grandchildren. Throughout her life, Mary led with her heart and a warm smile. She left behind a legacy of care for others, love of family, and enjoying the funny moments in life.

Born Mary Frances Griffeth to Leila Mae and John Roy Griffeth of Athens on May 15, 1933, Mary grew up in depression-era Athens as the oldest of three siblings. As a young girl, Mary was an avid member of the Girl Scouts who met at the nearby Lyndon House. While scouting, Mary developed a love for the outdoors, engaging in many camping trips, even traveling as far as Washington DC when such travel was limited and expensive.

At 17 years old, she met the love of her life, Blanton Dove, and began a four-year courtship. The couple was married on March 23, 1953, by Oconee Heights pastor, Felix Turner, shortly before Blanton’s deployment to the Korean War. While he was overseas, Mary worked for Southern Mutual Insurance in downtown Athens.

When Blanton returned home, he and Mary started a family, having three children, Blanton Jr., Mike, and Renee. Mary inherited the matriarchal qualities of her mother and grandmother before her, becoming a loving and industrious woman. She cultivated a warm home, raising three children, while supporting Blanton in his appliance repair business. In her career, she was most known around town as the “Avon lady,” sharing her warm personality through laughs and visits with her customers. Mary would make home deliveries of beauty products on Thursday and Friday afternoons, a tradition her grandchildren relished sharing with her in later years, especially when it was followed by a trip for happy meals at McDonalds.

Mary became “Nana” in 1984 with the birth of her first grandchild, Melanie, followed by David, Melissa, and Emily. Being a grandmother was perhaps her greatest calling. Throughout her life, Mary never lost the sense of wonder, imagination, and joy one experiences as a child, often saying she was only as old as she felt on the inside. A true child at heart, she had a gift of nurturing similar feelings in others that unlocked their ability to dream big dreams, believe in themselves, appreciate the world around them, and find humor in the mundane and unexpected circumstances of life. With a gentle pat on the back or smile from across the room, she could express the abundant love she had for someone.

Mary was very creative. For years, she traveled to regional fairs and markets with her crafts and hand-painted knickknacks to sell and trade. She was also an avid collector, mostly of antiques, but of other various items as well that she meticulously cataloged and shared openly with her family. After taking a trip to the American west in 1993, Mary amassed a large rock and gem collection. Upon returning home, she became an officer with the Athens Rock and Gem Club where she enjoyed sharing her collection and educating children about the characteristics of various stones.

Mary was a lifelong baseball fan, playing for the Johnson Drive Baptist church league team and cheering on the Braves - making the trip to Atlanta many times with her friends to see them play. Her most appreciated hobby, however, was her cooking (when she could be convinced to do so). From her famous “saw dust cake” to banana pudding, and hen and dressing as well as many, many other recipes, she shared her cooking and seemingly ancient and peculiar techniques with her family. A phone call to others that Nana had fried chicken was the most assured way to create a traffic jam in the Dove’s driveway. Her love was non-exclusionary in that way; her heart and her home were always open.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband of 67 years, Blanton Dove, Sr., her sister, Dorothy Anne Ray, as well as her parents John Roy and Leila Mae Griffeth.

Mary is survived by her children Blanton Jr. and Debbie Dove, Danielsville; Mike and Becky Dove, Athens; and Renee Dobbs and Kevin Hamby, Bogart. She is also survived by her grandchildren: Melanie and Mohammad Shafiq, Colbert; David and Courtney Dove, Marietta; Melissa and Frank May, Hull; and Emily Dobbs, Watkinsville; as well as many great grandchildren. Mary is also survived by her brother and sister-in-law, John and Janice Griffeth, Danielsville; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

The family will receive visitors from 1:00-2:30 pm on Thursday, June 19, at Lord & Stephens, EAST, Athens, followed by a service at 2:30 in the chapel of the funeral home. www.lordandstephens.com