A funeral service for Rhoda "Mardelle" Shirley McGahee, 97, of Cornelia, was held Tuesday, Oct. 8, at Whitfield Funeral Home, North Chapel. Interment followed in Yonah Memorial Gardens.
Mrs. McGahee passed away Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019.
Born Nov. 20, 1921, in Franklin County, she was a daughter of the late Dewey L. and Tinnie Andrews Shirley. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph G. McGahee Sr.; and sister, Marlene Shirley Dixon.
Mrs. McGahee was a graduate of Jonesboro High School and Drougham College of Business in Atlanta. After her marriage to Joseph McGahee in 1945, they moved to Cornelia where she was the secretary of McGahee Furniture Company. She was a member of First Baptist Church of Cornelia, the Three-L Sunday school class, WMU, and Business and Professional Women's Club. Mardelle enjoyed traveling and watching the Braves.
Survivors include her son and daughter-in-law, Joseph "Joby" and Edna McGahee of Clarkesville; daughter and son-in-law, Rebecca "Becky" and Don Chambers of Rome; brother and sister-in-law, Dewey L. "Buck" and Carolyn Shirley of Morrow; and sister, Mary S. Cooper of Morrow; grandsons and spouses, Don and Leanne Chambers of Rome, Jake and Emily McGahee of Clarkesville, and Clayton McGahee and Jennifer Meehan of State College, Pennsylvania; granddaughter, Cindy Chambers of Jonesboro, Tennessee; great-grandsons, Whitman and Driver Chambers, and Joseph and Mitchell McGahee; and great-granddaughter, Catherine Shortt.
Flowers will be accepted or donations may be made to the First Baptist Church of Cornelia, P.O. Box 96, Cornelia, GA 30531.
Arrangements are in the care of Whitfield Funeral Homes & Crematory, North Chapel, Demorest.