Mary Lee Warnock

Mary Lee Warnock, 85, died peacefully at home on January 30, 2023.

She was born on January 13, 1938, in Lakeland, FL to Robert Lee Smith and Gladys B. Smith.
Mary Lee grew up in Savannah and was graduate of Savannah High School, Class of 1955. She received a BA in English from the University of South Carolina, a Master’s degree in Education from Armstrong State College, and an Education Specialist degree from Georgia Southern University.
Mary Lee married her high school sweetheart Charles R. Warnock Jr. in 1958 and was his unfailing and devoted true love and best friend for 64 years. They had one daughter, Leslie, who was Mary Lee’s pride and joy. Her love for Leslie was matched only by her love for her granddaughters and great granddaughter.
Mary Lee taught high school English and Literature in Chatham County, GA, for 35 years, primarily at Windsor Forest High School. She was a well loved and respected educator there from the school’s opening in 1967 until her retirement in 1993. She instilled in her students a love for and appreciation of Literature. She impacted many young lives with her kindness and ability to show students their value and potential, often when they could not see it in themselves.

Mary Lee shared her husband’s love of nature and spent many joyful days at his side working to protect endangered and threatened creatures. She loved tending her bird and butterfly garden and made numerous cherished memories with her granddaughters there. Mary Lee was an avid reader and reread her favorite pieces of literature countless times. Her books are heavily annotated with her teaching notes and personal thoughts and observations. She was a prolific writer, leaving hundreds of pages of memories and letters as a legacy for her family. Mary Lee was a lifelong Mental Health advocate who worked tirelessly to advance education, protect patient rights and to de-stigmatize mental illness.

Mary Lee is preceded in death by her parents, Lee and Gladys Smith and her husband Charles.

She is survived by a daughter, Leslie Warnock Malchak (Tim) of Savannah, GA, granddaughters Alyssa Tillman of Oceanside, CA and Katherine Tillman of Savannah, GA, great granddaughter Lilia Tillman of Savannah, sister in law Carolyn Lehman of Daytona Beach, nieces Cythe Shiver of Lake City, FL and Kynah Cockcroft of Daytona Beach, nephew Jason Cockcroft of Daytona Beach, first cousin Chuck Barefield (Candy) and several distant cousins.

A Visitation will be held Sunday February 5, 2023 from 5pm to 7pm at Gamble Funeral Service.

A Funeral Service will be held 11am Monday February 6, 2023 at Gamble Funeral Service.

Interment will be held 2pm Monday February 6, 2023 at Fellowship Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery (9566 Mud Rd

Brooklet, GA 30415).

Services have been entrusted to Gamble Funeral Service.
410 Stephenson Ave.
Savannah, GA 31406
912-354-1616