Obituary of Margaret-Comer Ramsey

AUGUSTA, Ga. - Margaret Comer Ramsey completed her journey home to be with the Lord on Sunday, April 3, 2011. Margaret's story begins in Douglas, Georgia where she was born in 1932 in a one bedroom house. Margaret, the oldest of nine, was the loving daughter of Essie Mae Comer Smith, L.C. Comer and Alvin Phillips. Although lacking many material things while growing up, she possessed a life-long love for learning. As valedictorian of her class, she was the first member of her family to graduate from high school. Margaret graduated at the top of her class from Columbia Hospital School of Nursing in Columbia, SC in 1962. Shortly after nursing school she returned to Douglas, Georgia becoming the first African American registered nurse to practice nursing in Coffee County. Margaret loved her career as a registered nurse which expanded more than 30 years. Margaret was proud to have been selected as one of the few select nurses to be trained to open a new coronary care unit at the Medical College of Georgia in the 1960's and was the first nurse to defibrillate a patient at the Medical College of Georgia. Late in life she discovered a God given talent for painting leading her to pursue a career as a self taught folk artist and professional story teller. Her work is in museums and universities in the south and private collections, including that of former president Jimmy Carter. Margaret has several pieces among the permanent collection at the Morris Museum, Augusta. She was to married James D. Ramsey for over thirty years, and they shared two loving daughters, Charlotte and Sylvia. Margaret's lifespan encompassed almost four decades and through it all her faith and her love for God sustained her. Her greatest legacy was the family and friends she leaves to cherish her memories: her daughters, Charlotte R. Price (Augusta, GA) and Sylvia Gainey Rozier (Dublin, GA), and five grandchildren: Gwen Robinson (Columbus, GA), Ronda M. Price (Atlanta)Nathan Gainey (Christina) Fayetteville, NC, Jason Price (Carol), Marrietta, GA, and Alicia Gainey. (Dublin, GA.) and five great grandchildren: Jadah Echols (Columbus, GA), Malik Gainey (Fayetteville, NC), Amaya Gainey (Fayetteville, NC), Chase Gainey (Fayetteville, NC), and Ava Price (Atlanta, GA). Her surviving sisters and brothers include: Evelyn Bussey (Ben), Morrisville, PA, Sarah Smith (Brooklyn, NY), James Smith (Bristol, PA), Wilbert Smith (Ophelia), Bristol PA, Joe Cleveland (Douglas, GA), Naomi Flowers (Matthew) Augusta, GA, and Jimmy Lee Smith (Annette), Levittown, and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends. Preceded in death by her husband, James D. Ramsey, loving mother Essie Mae Comer Smith and her fathers L.C. Comer and Alvin Phillips and one brother Bobby Smith. The home going celebration will be held at the Beulah Grove Baptist Church on Friday, April 8, 2011 at 11:00a.m. The family will receive friends from 5 to 8 p.m. this evening at the funeral home. In lieu flowers, please make memorial contributions to the Morris Museum Education Program (in the name of Margaret C. Ramsey), 1 Tenth Street, Augusta, Georgia 30901. Williams Funeral Home, 1765 Martin Luther King Blvd., Augusta, GA Sign the guestbook at AugustaChronicle.com The Augusta Chronicle-April 7, 2011