Georgia J. Mammina

Georgia Jane Mammina, 80, of Benton Township, passed away Monday, September 18, 2006 at Lakeland Regional Medical Center with her husband and daughter at her side. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 10:00 A.M. Friday at The First Assembly of God, 3084 Niles Rd., St. Joseph, with Pastor Dan Miller officiating. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery in Benton Harbor. Friends may call from 5-8 P.M. Thursday at Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph with a Time of Devotion at 7:00 P.M. Memorials may be made to The First Assembly of God. Those wishing to share a memory or sign the guest book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Georgia was born March 19, 1926 in Reynoldsville, Illinois to George and Zulah (Morse) Cavaness. At theage of 11 years, she was baptized and began to devote her young life to the Reynoldsville Missionary Baptist Church. As a member of the choir and assistant to it’s pianist, she led the Baptist Young People’s Union along with her father who was treasurer of the Deacon Board. She attended Wolf Lake Community School, graduating in 11 years as Valedictorian in 1943, without missing a single day of school. Georgia received a full scholarship to Selinais State University. She was employed at Benton Harbor Malleable Industries as an executive secretary from 1947-1951. She met her future husband and married Ben Mammina on July 1, 1950 at St. John’s Catholic Church in Benton Harbor. Georgia retired from the former F& M & NBD Bank in 1986 after 21 years of employment. She was a member of First Assembly of God and served in various ministries, primarily in Evangelism with the Benton Harbor Street Ministry and with the Billy Graham Crusade held at Notre Dame. Georgia is survived by her husband Ben J. “B.J.”; her daughter Tanya (Jeffrey) Mohr of Spring Lake, MI; her son J.R. Mammina of Grand Rapids; two sisters-Mary Johnson of New Mexico, Susi Jacoby of Florida; her brother Paul Cavaness of St. Joseph; five grandchildren-Joshua, Nicholas and Leah Anton, and Ryan and Lauren Mammina; sister and brother-in-laws Pat & Lou Larzelere of Benton Harbor, Ron & Madeline Batson of St. Joseph; numerous nieces and nephews; and numerous caring friends. Georgia was preceded in death by her daughter Shaune in 1976, and her sister Hazel McGahee in Florida.