GAINESVILLE – Mary Carol Bushnell McRoberts, 79, passed away following an extended illness on Monday, October 20, 2014.
Born in Toledo, Ohio, on December 13, 1934, she was the daughter of Howard Vincent Bushnell and Helen DeLong Bushnell. Mary was a retired registered nurse and entrepreneur. In the early 70’s, Mary was working a shift in the emergency room when a young boy came in because he was hit by a car while riding his bicycle. The boy had no form of identification on him and therefore, the doctors could not perform a life-saving operation without parental consent. Mary was very distraught when the young boy passed away. The very next day, she somehow was able to find a company that fabricated a machine for her to use to make identification necklaces and bracelets. She made contact with the Nabisco Company and they made a deal to offer her I.D. necklaces and bracelets on the back of their Cream of Wheat cereal boxes, where they were sold for $ 1.00 plus two proofs of purchases from the cereal. Quite to her surprise, she was notified by the post office that she would have to pick her mail up at the post office because there were several satchels there waiting for her. What she thought would be a side job while she continued to nurse, became a full time job with employees, because the satchels continued coming for the next 12 years! Mary was a very strong lady and took everything that came her way with a wonderful attitude. She was an inspiration to many people that she came into contact with as she survived two brain tumors in the late 80’s, overcame breast cancer in 2004, lung cancer in 2010, and seven miscarriages in her 20’s.
Everyone who met her loved her….and her beautiful red fingernails! Mary was preceded in death by her husband of 46 years, Thomas Allen McRoberts.
Mrs. McRoberts was preceded in death by a brother, Thomas Bushnell of Albany.
Survivors include a son, Allen C. McRoberts and his wife, Vicky C. McRoberts, both of Winder; daughter, Susan McRoberts Sexton and her husband, Charles J. Sexton, Jr., both of Gainesville; grandsons, Donal H. McRoberts of Houston, Texas, and his wife, Priscilla, Daniel C. Sexton, Gainesville, and his wife, Shanda, Thomas M. L. McRoberts, Winder, and Steven T. Sexton, Gainesville, and his wife, Ashley; granddaughter, Cady G.M. McRoberts, Winder; great-grandsons, Kaleb R. Sexton, Gainesville, Luke F. McRoberts, Houston, Texas, and Ryan A. Sexton, Gainesville, a sister, Betty Hamblen, Green Mountain, N.C.; her brother-in-law, Ridge Hamblen; and sister-in-law, Bettye Sue Bushnell.
During her last year and a half of her life, Mary was lovingly cared for by Guardian Angel Personal Care Home in Winder.
A private memorial service will be held at a later date.
Arrangements by Lawson Funeral Home, Hoschton.
www.lawsonfuneralhome.org.