Obituary: Mable M. Willavage, 97, Branch.

Obituary: Mable M. Willavage, 97, Branch.

Mable M. Willavage, 97, longtime resident of Branch, died on Sunday, October 13, 2019 in Coldwater, Mich.  Mable was born on September 21, 1922 in Meridian, Mississippi, the daughter of John and Marie Evans and married George Downing in 1940.  George preceded her in death in 1959.  Mabel later married George Willavage on May 14, 1968 and he preceded her in death in September, 2017.  Mabel was also preceded in death by her parents; her daughter Diane Anderson; her son George Downing; her stepdaughter Margaret “Peg” Bindus; her step-granddaughter Karen Bartholomew; and several siblings.

Mabel was an avid reader and loved to knit and crochet.  She was well known in her family for her beautiful afghans and blessed each member with their own blanket.  When she and George retired to the area, Mabel frequently enjoyed getting together with her friends socializing while playing cards.  Mason County also offered her the opportunity to hone her fishing skills as she was considered a master angler by those who knew her.

Mabel will be lovingly remembered by her daughter Pamela Ghandour and husband Dr. Ahmad of Melbourne Beach, Fla.; her son Paul Downing of Arizona; her son-in-law Ronald Anderson of Coldwater; her grandchildren Adam, Danny, Basil, and Ryan Ghandour, Steven Anderson, Lisa Jones, Tracy Thoms, William Anderson, Rachel Downing, Kathy Miller, and Rob Bindus; 20 great-grandchildren; and 4 great-great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held for Mabel at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, October 16 at Wyman Funeral & Cremation Services in Scottville.  Burial will take place at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Custer.  Friends may meet with her family during a time of visitation on Wednesday from noon until time of services at the funeral home.

Please visit Mabel’s memory page at www.wymanfuneralservice.com to leave a tribute of Mabel for her family or to light a candle in her memory.