Mary Kate “Mama Katherine” Abernathy was born in Leighton, AL on February 12, 1948 to the late Millie Randolph Reynolds and Clarence Hamilton. She was preceded in death by her husband, Willie Lee “Ground Hog” Abernathy, her son, Robert Edward “Troy” Randolph, brothers, James Otis “Slick” Randolph and William Roy “Legg” McCullough and step-father, Amos Reynolds.
Mary confessed Christ at an early age and was a lifelong member of First Baptist Church of Russellville, AL. She was an avid member of the kitchen committee, participated on the Missionary Society and loved serving others in her church family as well as those throughout her community. She attended Reedtown High School and later received her General Education Diploma. She humbly chose a career of caring in the healthcare field including becoming a Certified Nurse’s Assistant for several years and later pursued her passion of cooking in the Food & Nutrition Services Department of what is now Russellville Hospital.
Mary was a jovial and loving person. She had a rather humbling and caring spirit and always displayed kindness toward others. She enjoyed spending time with her family and friends and had an immense love for cooking. She participated in numerous community events where she served on the “Reedtown Roundup Committee”, participated with the Back to Basics Widows dinners’, Relay for Life and enjoyed spending time with her work family during their Retiree dinners.
Mary shared her love of cooking not only with her family, but others in the community as well. While she was known as one of the best soul food cookers of her time, she also enjoyed baking from time to time and taught her great-granddaughters how to bake cupcakes. In 2008, she was tasked with cooking for her grandson DeMorian’s entire Russellville High School football team and even cooked Thanksgiving dinner once for the local county jail. She loved bingo and playing cards, traveling and always loved opportunities to fellowship with others.
Mary was employed with Russellville Hospital where she retired in 2013 as a Supervisor for the Food & Nutrition Services Department after serving 41 years and 5 months. In 2007 she was nominated for the Mercy Award; one of the more prestigious awards given by LifePoint. She received many awards and certificates, including her Dietary Manager’s and ServSafe certifications in which she worked very hard to accomplish.
Mary also received the Pride Service award twice as she “willingly gave up her day off to help prepare food and get everything ready for an employee cookout” and “she returned to the hospital during inclement weather to make sure employees were not left out”. She was also awarded Employee of the Year where she was “known and appreciated for her hard work and dedication to serving the staff, patients and guests”.
After retirement, she continued her God given spirit of caring and later became a loving assistant and cook at New Freedom Daycare. She loved her New Freedom family and children where she nurtured and patted the kids to sleep and often ensured they had some of their favorite meals. She was not only their cook, but she comforted them and gracefully shared her wisdom of life with the teachers.
Mary was a loving wife, mother and grandmother. She leaves to cherish her memories two daughters, Vera Bonds, Russellville, AL; Brenda (Joseph) Nelson of Tuscumbia, AL; sons, Willie James Abernathy of Muscle Shoals, AL and Ronnie (Virginia) Abernathy of Tuscumbia, AL; a special granddaughter, Sheikia Christian of Muscle Shoals, AL; sister-in-law, Fannie (Wash) Bates of Russellville, AL; a very special friend, Larry Saxton of Russellville, AL; fifteen grandchildren, twenty-five great-grandchildren, as well as a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Her service and devotion to others was always a part of her life. She was a very proud and thankful grandmother as she marveled over the many accomplishments of her grandchildren and helped mold them for success. She was a very likable person and will be greatly missed by all who knew her.
