Mary Elizabeth Naylor

Our Precious Momma , Mary Elizabeth Naylor, known by most as “Liz”, entered Heaven’s gates on Saturday, October 8th 2024 at the age of 95. While we deeply mourn her loss, we celebrate that she finally met her Savior face to face and was reunited with her beloved husband. Funeral services will be held Saturday, October 12th at 11am at Mathews Funeral Home. Rev. Roy Cook will officiate the Celebration of life. 

Liz was born on March 23, 1929 in Baconton, Georgia to the late Lawson Sr. and Maidee Shirah. She met and married the love of her life and devoted husband, James L “JL” Naylor Jr. on April 6, 1947. During their 76 years of marriage they had 4 children: 3 daughters: Gayle (Tim) Turner, Debbie (Butch) Dollar, Jackie (Mark) Keller and one son, Jimmy (Jennifer) Naylor. She was a devoted wife, mother and an amazing grandmother to 7 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren. Liz was known for her servants heart, boundless generosity, unwavering kindness, charitable heart, southern home cooking, and her sacrificial love and devotion to her Lord and Savior. She was resilient, a force to be reckoned with. She was the rock in our family, always offering a listening ear and a warm embrace. Her sweet smile, sassy style and compassionate heart endeared her to everyone who knew her. She never said “No” to a game of Chicken Foot, or any family game for that matter. If there was music, her toes began to tap and she was up dancing. Liz was the Jitter Bug Queen in her earlier days and all the guys wanted to dance with her. She loved traveling with family, playing with the grands and greats and baking cakes and candy over the holidays. In her early career she worded at Coats and Clark, Homemaker when her children were small. She owned and managed an in house daycare and worked in the lunch room at Lake Park Elementary. Later in her life she served as a pastor’s wife in several locations in Southwest Georgia. Liz and her late husband attended Gillionville Baptist Church. 

Preceded in death by her parents, Lawson Shirah, Sr and Maidee Shirah and brother Lawson Shirah Jr., and husband, James L. Naylor Jr.

The family will receive friends from 10 o’clock to 11 o’clock before the service at Mathews Funeral Home. Interment will follow at Floral Memorial Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Liz's memory to the Alzheimer's Foundation of America, 322 8th Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10001 OR the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, P.O. Box 660843, Dallas, TX 75266.