Mary Lillian Balentine, 70, a resident of Lauderdale County, passed away July 20, 2014 at Mitchell-Hollingsworth Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. She was a member of the Sherrod Avenue Church of Christ, and Alpha-Alabama Physically Handicapped Association.
Visitation will be Wednesday, July 23, 2014 from 11 – 1 p.m. at Greenview Funeral Home. The funeral service will begin at 1 p.m. in the funeral home chapel with Paul Swindle and Charlie Meek officiating. Burial will follow in Greenview Memorial Park.
Mary was stricken with polio at birth. She was one of an elite group of handicapped children screened under the supervision of Alabama State Crippled Children’s Service. She attended on the campus now the University of North Alabama for the ‘education of handicapped but exceptional children’.
Mary Lillian was preceded in death by her parents, Douglas and Myrtle Balentine; brothers, Leon and Kenneth Balentine; grandparents, Hulet and Lillian Young, Philipp and Mary Lou “Molly” Balentine.
She is survived by her sisters, Dot Green (Junior) of Muscle Shoals, Janice Holt (Jimmy) of Florence; special nieces, Kelly Graybill and Deborah Hensley;
sister-in-law, Darl Lynne Balentine Wall of Killen; aunt, Rebecca Young of Florence; a host of nieces and nephews.
Pallbearers will be Duane Balentine, Doug Balentine, Barry Green, Brian Holt, Brad Holt, and Bart Holt.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the American Cancer Society.
The family would like to extend a special thanks to Brian Scheri and the staff of Mitchell-Hollingsworth, especially nurses, CNAs, and RAs of Station 5, and Hospice Advantage, especially Thomas Spence for your love, care and good times shared together.
