Mary Ann Dollar, age 66, of Vernon, Alabama, went home to be with the Lord on Saturday, May 16, 2026, at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Columbus, Mississippi.
She was born on December 15, 1959, at Lamar Regional Hospital in Vernon, Alabama, to William Thomas Gunter and Mary Nell Weeks.
In her early adult years, Mary Ann worked as a machine operator at Hyster-Yale in Sulligent, Alabama, where she was one of the only women in her position. After many years of dedicated service, she retired from Hyster-Yale but later returned to the workforce at Northwest Alabama Mental Health Center. There, she served with both Vernon and Fayette Children’s Services and became lovingly known by many as “Ms. Mary.”
Mary Ann had a special gift for connecting with others. Whether with the children she served or the co-workers she loved through the years, her presence was personal, meaningful, and lasting. She held the children near and dear to her heart, saving every handmade gift and every card as if each one were a treasured piece of jewelry. Her calling and love for children’s mental health services will continue to live on through the many lives she touched.
As a mother, Mary Ann gave her children steady, unwavering love and support through every season of life. She taught them how to be caring, kind, loving, and strong not only through her words, but through the way she lived. Even through life’s hardest trials, she endured with quiet strength, faith, and perseverance. Her example will remain one of her greatest gifts to her family.
As a Nanna, she loved with her whole heart. She made each grandchild feel seen, cherished, and unconditionally supported. She was their steady encourager, their biggest fan, and a safe place to land. Her kindness, humor, godly perspective, and selfless love will live on in the hearts of the grandchildren who were blessed to call her their own.
Mary Ann loved immersing herself in literature. She was a gifted writer, an avid reader, and a wonderful cook who leaves behind many treasured recipes. She believed that anything she put her mind to, she could do — and she did. Over the years, she made birthday cakes, blankets, clothing, wedding arrangements, and countless other special things for those she loved.
Mary Ann was, in every way, a Proverbs 31 woman. She was clothed with strength and dignity, served her family with willing hands, and lived a life of faith, love, and quiet devotion. Her children and grandchildren rise and call her blessed, and her legacy will continue in the hearts of all who knew and loved her.
Survivors include her son, Justin Otts of Vernon Al. Her daughter Kayla Adcock (Justin) of Brandon Ms. Grandchildren, Savanna Hurst (Noah), Breigh Loper (Jacob), and Brooklyn Jade Adcock. Her great-grandchild Knox Everett Hurst. Mary Ann was preceded in death by her daughter, Amanda Dawn Otts. Her father William Thomas Gunter, her husband William Ira Dollar, and her two brothers Michael Gunter and Eddy Gunter
A small private funeral service will be held on Thursday, May 21, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. at Otts Funeral Home Chapel in Sulligent, Alabama. Her final resting place will be at Pleasant Ridge Cemetery in Sulligent, Alabama, alongside her father and daughter.
Pallbearers will be Noah Hurst, Jacob Loper, and Justin Adcock.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made in Mary Ann’s memory to the summer program of Northwest Alabama Mental Health Center, a program she personally donated to many times. Donations may be mailed to 2020 Academy Drive, Fayette, AL 35555, payable to NWAMHC: Tiger’s Den.
Condolences and special memories may be shared with the family at: www.ottsfuneralhome.net
