Mae Whitson McWilliams Christy, 76, passed away on Mar. 8, 2018, after a long battle with Alzheimers in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was preceded in death by her parents, Joe Felton McWilliams and Margaret Williams McWilliams; sons, Edmund Harris Christy III and Whitson McWilliams Christy; and sister, Jan McWilliams Akin. She is survived by her husband of 53 years, Edmund H. Christy Jr.; daughter, Margaret Christy Charbonnet (Sid); sisters, Gay McWilliams Martin (John) and Jo McWilliams Musselwhite (Wayne); grandchildren, Christy Rayne Charbonnet, Sidney Montgomery Charbonnet, Mary Lucy Charbonnet, Benjamin Allen Christy and Jonathan Paul Christy; and a host of nieces and nephews.
Mae Whitson was born in Tuscumbia, Alabama on April 17, 1941. She attended Sullins College and graduated with a degree in Interior Design from the University of Alabama, where she was a member of the Chi Omega sorority. She was a member of many clubs and organizations including the Orleans Club, the Junior League of New Orleans and the Waldo Burton Ladies Auxillary. She was an associate in the Whimsies Art Group and a long time supporter of the Preservation Resource Center and the Louisiana Nature Center. She was a lifetime member of the American Society of Interior Design (ASID), began working with Dale Hawkins Designs and with her talents began Mae Whitson Interiors. Her life-long loves included butterfly gardening, topiary construction, needlepoint, traveling and entertaining. She had a love of the water that developed early in her life on Wilson Lake, Alabama, some of her happiest times were water skiing, swimming and anything related to being on the water.
The family would like to thank the caregivers at Poydras Home’s Hunter House for their enormous love, respect and support.
Family and friends are invited to attend a funeral service on Tuesday, Mar. 13, 2018, at 3 p.m. at St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church, 1545 State St., New Orleans, with visitation beginning at 1 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Poydras Home, 5354 Magazine St., New Orleans, Louisiana 70115.
To view and sign the online guestbook, please visit www.lakelawnmetairie.com
