Georgia Mae Nelson
Date of Birth
Friday, December 27th, 1946
Date of Death
Tuesday, September 30th, 2025

Georgia Mae Nelson, 78, of Clements, MD, passed away surrounded by her two remaining sisters, sister-in-law (considered sister), and her niece, at Hospice House, Callaway, MD, on September 30, 2025. The ninth of eleven children to the late Joseph Louis Yates, Sr. and the late Agnes Jeannette Tennyson Yates, she attended St. Joseph Catholic School and Clements Elementary School before graduating from Margaret Brent High School.

In addition to her parents, Georgia is preceded in death by her siblings, Joseph Lewis Yates, Francis Ira Yates, Mary Evelyn Clarke, Alice Jeannette Foley, John Bernard Yates, Dale Yates, Carole Marie Alvey, and Thomas Brent Yates. She is survived by her sisters, Linda Ann Williams and Winifred Jo Kopacko, along with several nieces and nephews.

Georgia's love of dancing (and singing) started as an early teen and her favorite singer was John Denver. She was a fierce pitch card player as well, and enjoyed watching her favorite baseball team, The Washington Nationals.

Traveling the US and other countries was also a big part of her life. She visited all states except for one, Wisconsin. She enjoyed talking with the locals in the states and countries she visited, not necessarily joining the tour guide groups. She felt she got the real feeling of the area she was visiting. No one was a stranger to her. Some of them kept in touch enough after her visit. Some of the countries she traveled to were New Zealand, Australia, Canada, The Virgin Islands, and Indonesia. Georgia had a great love of the ocean. As an adult, she frequented Ocean City at least once a year, sometimes all four seasons.

After graduation, she worked at the FBI, the Leonardtown Dairy, and Nace Mattingly Plumbing. After that, Georgia spent 25 years employed at the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training (Harry Lundeberg) and retired from the center. Students come from all over the United States to learn aspects of and train to work on ships making up the maritime industry.
Unique to Georgia's years employed, were the varied departments of the school she served - student admissions, vocational training, pursers/travel offices, transportation services, and hotel front desk management. Georgia brought to each of the positions remarkable organization and the ability to stay on task. In each, she spent many hours of time planning arrivals, scheduling housing, and relaying information to the students arriving, as well as co-workers. Students became treasured friends and extended family. She retired in 2006 allowing her more time to care for her beloved brother, Brent.

Georgia donated to so many charities and any friends and family who needed a little help. She organized fund raisers for the then, Ripple Center, an Adult Daycare Center, at which Brent stayed while she was working. Georgia used her organizational skills to put together a family reunion that brought together four generations of extended family including cousins.

The family will receive friends on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM, with prayers recited at 7:00 PM, in the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, Leonardtown, MD. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Wednesday, October 8, 2025, at 11:00 AM, in St. Joseph's Church, Morganza, MD, with Father Drew officiating. Interment will be private. Serving as pallbearers will be Dale Yates, JD Clarke, Chris Yates, Roy Williams, Darren Alvey, and Timmy Yates.

Memorial contributions can be made to Hospice of St. Mary's, P.O. Box 625, Leonardtown, MD 20650 or online at www.medstarhealth.org/locations/hospice-of-st-marys and/or The American Cancer Society at fightcancer.org.


Service Information
When
Wednesday, October 8th, 2025 11:00am
Officiating
Father Drew Royals
Location
St. Joseph's Catholic Church
Address
29119 Point Lookout Road
Morganza, MD 20660