Susan Reid Manley Law was born in Madison on December 2, 1934. She died peacefully at home on February 22, 2009 after an extended illness, surrounded by her family.
She was a Brenau girl having attended Brenau Academy and Brenau College. She met her husband of 54 years, George Law, a Gainesville boy at the Phi Mu house. They raised their family in Gainesville for many years and later retired to Saint Simons Island. Susan and George returned to Gainesville in 2004. She loved her husband, children and grandchildren with all of her heart and was a dedicated wife, mother and grandmother.
She loved her hometown of Madison. She donated the home of her grandmother, Mrs. Sue Reid Manley, to the Morgan County Historical Society in 1977. The house became Heritage Hall, the Historical Society’s headquarters in Madison. She was married in her grandmother’s home in 1954. Her children, Fletcher and Kay Law and Susan and Greg Tarleton were also married in this house.
Mrs. Law loved and was exceptionally gifted in needlework and knitting. She loved cooking, decorating her house, working with miniatures and dollhouses. She enjoyed and excelled in duplicate bridge and crossword puzzles. She was most supportive of her husband’s love and devotion to the Georgia Bulldogs. She was a person of great wit and loved to laugh. An avid reader, Mrs. Law had a keen appreciation of the proper usage of the English language, which she consistently passed on to her children and grandchildren.
Mrs. Law was an active volunteer and involved in the various activities of her five children, including church and school activities. She was a member of various organizations, including the Colonial Dames, where she served as chairman from 1978 – 1979.
In addition to raising five children of her own, she hosted four students to attend school in America making them a part of her family and maintained these close relationships through the years. She loved to travel and made many trips to Europe and one trip to Africa to attend a wedding of one of the students she sponsored.
She grew up in the Methodist church and was a member of First Baptist Church for many years. She returned to the Methodist Church as a member of Wesley United Methodist Church in Saint Simons Island and First Methodist Church in Gainesville.
She was preceded in death by her parents, William Fletcher Manley and Zella May Manley Newton.
She is survived by her husband, George Hammond Law, her children Elizabeth Law Hein, Hammond Law, Fletcher and Kay Law, Helen and Mike Perry, all of Gainesville and Susan and Greg Tarleton of Winston Salem, North Carolina; grandchildren, Wilson and Helen Hein, Kaitlin, Lindsay and Jake Law, Graham Law, Michael, Tyler and Lewis Perry, Reid, Sam, Margaret Anne and Jane Tarleton, her Aunt Sibyl Wright of Falls Church, Virginia and cousins Frances Norton and Bill Wright of Falls Church, Virginia; step-brother Phil Newton and his wife Pat of Saint Simons Island; special friends and caregivers, Pearl Holland, Essie Richards and Josephine Atem.
Funeral service was held Wednesday, February 25 at 2 p.m. in the Chapel of Little & Davenport Funeral Home. Dr. Bill Coates and Rev. Fletcher Law and Rev. Steve Winters officiated. A private family burial was held at Alta Vista Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Heritage Hall in Madison, First United Methodist Church of Gainesville, First Baptist Church of Gainesville Ministry of Caring or Wesley United Methodist Church of Saint Simons Island.
Online condolences can be made at littledavenport.com.

Printed in the February 26, 2009 edition.