Maria Teresa McElwee (1934-2014)

Monday morning June 16, a gentle soul slipped from her earthly bounds to join other family members in Heaven. Anyone who ever met her immediately loved her for her tender and gentle manner.

Tere was born in Laredo, Texas. Her parents were Alfrado and Juanita Munoz. In 1957, she met her husband Bobby. They were married the second of February, 1958. She accompanied him to wherever the Airforce sent him. Their earthly marriage lasted for fifty-six years. God willing, eventually they will be together for an eternity.

She was named after Mother Teresa of Calcutta and had an inward strength that saw her through the trials of being an Airforce wife for twenty years. Often being left with small children, in a foreign land, while her husband was away in another county.

She held a position with a large department store when she met her husband. It was love at first sight for him. After retiring from the Airforce Tere and her family opened a hobby shop in Rome, Georgia. She kept the books and ordered most of the hundreds of items the shop carried. Here they met and became friends with people who later joined them in other ventures.

She was instrumental in saving the historical site Barnsley Gardens from destruction. She kept the books and wrote checks to pay workers the first six months there. In 1995, she became one of the founders of "The Institute for Northwest Georgia History." Note: This is now operating under the name "Rome Area History Museum." Tere has worked as a volunteer at several events which raised funds for various charities. She has been the unsung hero many times.

This great lady leaves behind husband, Bobby, sons, Bobby, Jr., Gary and Joe, daughter-in-laws, Jennie, Cindy and Jeannine, grandson, Jake, granddaughters, Kamilah, Bianca, Destiny and Valerie, one great-grandson, Dane, brother, John Munoz, sister-in-laws, Linda Munoz, Mary Short and Nettie McElwee, seven nieces and nephews and many cousins.

Visitation for family and friends will start at 6pm, Wednesday, 6/18/2014 at the Gammage Funeral Home in Cedartown. A rosary will be said at 6pm. Funeral services will be held Thursday, 6/19/2014 at the Catholic Chapel beginning at 11am. The chapel is located, in Cedartown, on College Street behind the Post Office. The burial ceremony will be held at Mountain Springs Cemetery on Jackson Chapel Road, in Floyd County.

Pallbearers will be Jake McElwee, Jason McElwee, Jerry McElwee, Freddy Munoz, John Munoz, Sergio Antonio Fernandez, Richard Fernandez and Maximilian Fernandez.

The Olin L. Gammage and Sons Funeral Home is handling the arrangements for Mrs. Maria Teresa McElwee.