mallie gayle (smitherman) colley-calderwood

Mallie Gayle Colley-Calderwood was born October 7, 1938, and entered the Lord's Heavenly Kingdom on December 3, 2016. She was born in Marvel and spent her childhood and retirement years in Centreville, Alabama. Mallie Gayle was the only child of Earl and Lexie Smitherman.

She earned her Bachelor's degree at Howard College and her Master's degree at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. She was a member of the Hypatia Honor Society, Kappa Delta Epsilon, and Pi Gamma Mu. Mallie Gayle was a respected lifetime educator and followed a special calling to assist and inspire young women to achieve their educational and life goals. She served as a teacher, counselor, principle and superintendent in the field of education.

After a national search, she was the first woman ever appointed Executive Director of the Arizona School Administrators Association. She was past-president of Arizona AWARE (Aiding women in Abuse and Rape Emergencies), Arizona School Public Relations Association, and the Bibb County Medical Center Auxiliary. She was a member of the American and Arizona Association of School Personnel Administrators and Arizona School Administrators, Inc.

Mallie Gayle was a published author and led the College Career department at North Phoenix Baptist Church. She taught Bible Study classes for most her adult life and was a member of Centreville Baptist Church where she served on the WMU committee.

During her 78 years, her generous and courageous spirit touched many people as she lived in Marvel, Centreville, and Tarrant, Alabama, Douglas and Atlanta (Conyers), Georgia, Blacksburg and Norfolk, Virginia, and Phoenix, Arizona.

Mallie Gayle was always a high-energy lady with a zest for life and the Lord. She had a God-given gift for helping others. She was affectionally dubbed the "Card Queen" and never missed an opportunity to touch someone with an unexpected card delivery. She had the ability to sense when a friend or even a stranger needed words of encouragement.

Mallie Gayle is predeceased by parents Earl and Lexie Smitherman, and son Michael Andrew Colley.

She is survived by husband Daniel Calderwood, daughter Penelope Norville (John), step-children Eric Calderwood (Lynn), Kimberly Edwards (Paul), Kevin Calderwood (Corey), 2 grandchildren, 8 step-grandchildren, and Ecuadorian exchange student daughter Aurea Bermeo-Cornejo (Pablo).
           
A memorial service will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 15, 2016, at Centreville Baptist Church. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations in Mallie Gayle's name be made to:
Youth Ministry - Centreville Baptist Church, 138 Court Square, Centreville, AL 35042, or Camp Colley Foundation, 216 West Portland Street, Phoenix, AZ 85003