MEMPHIS — The funeral service for Mary Gaston Anderson, 62, will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Twin Oaks Funeral Home in Southaven with visitation starting at noon. Anderson died May 31 at her home. She was born Jan. 7, 1951 in Windsor, England. She was a graduate of Mississippi University for Women, where she received degrees of BA, MST, and MA in theater. She married her husband of 39 years, David Anderson in 1973 and taught part time at Heritage Academy and MUW in Columbus before moving to Memphis in 1975. She taught drama, speech, and English at Southaven High School for 38 years before retiring in May 2013. While at Southaven, she received many honors. She worked with the Southaven Police Department and DeSoto County Sheriff's Department going to the elementary schools with her theater classes performing skits on Halloween Safety for 26 years. In 1995 the city of Southaven declared December 6 as Mary Anderson Day. She received an MWMS Theater Alliance Allie Award for Lifetime Achievement on February 1, 2013. She was chosen Star Teacher at Southaven in 1996. In addition to her husband, she is survived by her brother, Dr. C.D. Gaston (Janis) of Gulfport; her sisters, Betty Lee Marshall of Tupelo and Madeliene Wilder (George) of Montgomery, Ala.; seven nieces and nephews; and four great nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Chester D. Gaston and Elizabeth Blake Gaston. Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children's Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105 of to the charity of the donor's choice.
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