Mary Louise Pyatt Potter Crowder, age 83, of Clinton passed away on December 13, 2016, after a brief illness. She was a member of First Baptist Church of Clinton. Mary was born in Robertsville, a pre-WWII community taken by the federal government in the wartime establishment of the city of Oak Ridge. This action forced the relocation of Mary's family, who chose Clinton as the place to begin life anew. Mary and first husband, Gale Potter, lived in Scott, Washington, Claiborne, and Fentress counties. In each community Mary was admired for her talent as a homemaker, hostess of gatherings large and small, interior/exterior home decorator, floral arrangement designer, antiques collector, and Southern cook. With her outgoing personality and genuine interest in people, Mary quickly made many friends. She enjoyed volunteering her time at Baptist churches and garden clubs. Mary and second husband, Boyd Crowder, were married in 1997 and resided in Powell. For the last two years of their lives, Mary and Boyd lived happily together at Morning Pointe assisted living facility in Clinton.
Mary was preceded in death by her parents, James Franklin Pyatt and Clara Belle Miller Pyatt; siblings, Charles E. Pyatt, John F. Pyatt, and Elizabeth Anne Pyatt; first husband, Gale C. Potter (deceased 1992); and second husband, William Boyd Crowder (deceased 2016). She is survived by a son, Greg Potter of Lenoir City; daughter-in-law, Amy Harkey of Lenoir City; niece, Debra Pyatt Poore of Heiskell; special friend, Johnny Poore of Heiskell; nephews, David Pyatt and Steve Pyatt of Clinton, and Larry Pyatt of Soddy Daisy; and several grandnieces, grandnephews and good friends
The family will receive friends at Holley-Gamble Funeral Home in Clinton on Monday, December 19, 2016, from 5 to 7 PM, with the funeral service following with Rev. Stan Elliott officiating. Family and friends will meet at the funeral home at 12:15 PM on Tuesday for instructions for proceeding to New Hope Cemetery, Bethel Valley Road in Oak Ridge, for a 1:00 pm graveside. The family thanks the staff at Morning Pointe of Clinton for the affection, care, and concern shown to Mary in her final years. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations in honor of Mary be sent to National Garden Clubs, Inc. (www.gardenclub.org). Holley-Gamble Funeral Home of Clinton is in charge of all arrangements. holleygamble.com