Mary Nell Daniel GATTI

Mary Nell Daniel Gatti was born at home on June 22, 1933 in Brownsville, Tennessee to Aubrey and Lillian Daniel and passed away on December 26, 2018 at the age of 85 while living in St. Peters, Missouri. She is survived by her son, Michael Hall, her daughter, Angela Wadsworth and four grandsons, Blaine Johnson, Nate Wadsworth, Sam Wadsworth and Tyler Johnson. She is also survived by her sister, Pat Thetford. She was a proud Aunt to Cheryl Smith, Rita Lasco, Steve Tippett and David Tippett (deceased). She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Paul E. Gatti of 47 years, and her Brothers, Charlie Daniel, Jamie Daniel and Aubrey Daniel, Jr. and Her son-in-law, John Wadsworth. Mary grew up on a farm in Brownsville, TN. Her chores were chopping cotton by hand and tending to the animals with her sister, Pat. She attended Haywood County High School in Brownsville, TN while she worked in the local Woolworth store. With $30 in her purse the day she graduated high school, she caught a bus out of town to Memphis, Tennessee to pursue a career. In 1952 after disembarking the bus in Memphis, she found her first job at Lowenstein’s Department Store in the Credit Department. She lived in the Lowenstein’s Boarding House for Women. She paid $13 per week for room and food and shared a single bathroom with 8 other women. She worked hard during the day and took classes at night to learn shorthand increasing her abilities to find better employment. She married at 20 years old and divorced at 28 years old. Mary provided for two young children, ages 3 and 1, by herself with no car and her only mode of transportation being a bus or taxi. She worked full time as a secretary and worked two additional jobs at home preparing tax returns by hand on an old-time non-electric typewriter. She married the love of her life, Paul Gatti, in 1963. They celebrated their 47th wedding anniversary in 2009. They enjoyed dancing, listening to music, working in the yard together, fishing in the Mississippi Spillway, and he loved every thing she ever cooked! Mary had such an impeccable work ethic. She always had a dream of going to college but it was never possible for her to realize that dream. She encouraged Mike and Angela to go to college. She always said, “It doesn’t mean you are smarter than others, but it will open doors that cannot be opened without it”. Education was so important to her. She studied to increase her vocabulary with learning new words every day. She took classes, even at 56 years old, to learn the “new” computer and all the programs that came with it. She continued to take classes to increase her skills in computers until she retired at age 66! Even in retirement, she was a voracious reader and loved yard work, which we as kids hated at that time, but learned to love years later. Mary worked for W.R. Grace for over 25+ years as an Executive Secretary. She then went to work for Potash Corporation in Memphis and retired at the age of 66. She started reading to her grandsons, Blaine and Tyler, from the time they were born until early elementary. Many pictures of her are seen reading to both of them as babies. Mary loved her grandsons and when Angela and John Wadsworth married in 2007, she was blessed with two more grandsons, Nate and Sam Wadsworth. She and Paul (“Mamaw & Papaw”) moved to Lake Saint Louis in 2007 where they enjoyed attending the four boys’ activities in sports and music. At home they would throw balls from one recliner to the next and then to the boys. Attending their events was so important for Mom and Dad. It was hard for them to travel as they were in a wheelchair or walked with a cane but having them there to cheer them on was always inspiring. Mary was a fabulous cook and her favorite food was fried chicken. She made beautiful gardens grow due to her loving touch and countless hours outdoors. Mary loved to sing and attend church as well. She was baptized at the age of 59 years old in Germantown Baptist Church in Germantown, Tennessee. She recommitted her life to Jesus and wanted the world to know by being baptized right away. Even though she was scared of water, she chose to make that profession of faith right then, not knowing the heater in the baptismal was broken and the water was freezing cold! She was a trooper and never regretted her walk with Jesus. Mary was a kind and joyful person and truly had the heart of Christ. We have first-hand knowledge that she even cried when she spanked her kids, even though they deserved it. Mary would light up when she saw her son, Michael. He was her pride and joy. She was so proud of all of his accomplishments. She loved his singing and his visits to the nursing home. She was most proud that he was a loving husband to Michele and “Pops” to his sweet Grandaughter, Madison. Even though her later years were severely affected by Dementia, Mary never lost her incredible love for her family, especially for her son-in-law, John Wadsworth. Together they had such a special bond and he made sure she and Dad were well cared for in their later years. She was 82 years old when John passed away in 2015. Even though her dementia was extremely advanced, she still understood he was gone and cried and cried. I know they are together in heaven catching up on all that has gone on since then. Mary’s grandsons, Blaine, Nate, Sam and Tyler all loved having Mamaw around. They sang songs to her, carried her from her wheelchair to our car and then to our home to make sure she could attend their activities, our family gatherings and especially holidays which she always loved. She would get most excited when she saw them arrive and was eager to give them love and kisses. Even at age 85 with severe dementia, Mary never stopped giving her famous wet-nosed kisses, saying, “I Love You” and “Hoooooney”. She never saw race or color and loved everyone, everywhere, all of the time. Mary Nell Gatti was the epitome of Christ’s love for us all, unconditional, always a breath away and always forgiving. Certainly she is dancing in heaven with those she loves and her greatest joy is for all of us to be there with her when Christ returns. Welcome Home Mom. We will see you in the Morning!

Mary Nell Daniel GATTI

June 22, 1933 - December 26, 2018