Rocky Face, Georgia - June Ann Cooley Mahan, age 96, of Rocky Face, Georgia, passed away peacefully at home on New Year's Day 2026, surrounded by her loving family. Until the very end, she lived out her lifelong motto: "If a thing's worth doing, it's worth doing right." June devoted her life to being the best mother she could be, and none of her descendants ever matched her standard of an always guest-ready home or her healthy, delicious twist on Southern cooking. Granny's house became the gathering place for a growing family, where she welcomed grandchildren and later great-grandchildren who always knew they belonged. Born into the uncertainty of the Great Depression, June came to know security and purpose, building a lasting legacy of family and faith. Her absence will be deeply felt by all who loved her.

June was born on September 11, 1929, in the front room of the house her father built on Peace Street in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Minutes later, her twin sister, Jean Nan, was born. Peace was in short supply during the early years of their lives. Their mother, Iris Bandy Cooley, nearly died in the week following their birth, and the twins were sent to live with relatives until she recovered. Just weeks later, the Wall Street Crash ushered in the Great Depression, shaping the lives of June, Jean, and their older sister, Lois. Their father, William Eben "Bill" Cooley, moved the family to Sugar Valley, Georgia, in search of work in the emerging textile industry. Bill repaired machinery of all kinds and served as a deputy sheriff, while Iris and Lois worked in a chenille bedspread plant. June and Jean spent their days playing with Bandy cousins, forming some of the happiest memories of June's childhood.

After several years, the family returned to Chattanooga and the home where the twins were born. June graduated from Red Bank High School in 1946 and attended Edmonson School of Business. The Cooley family worshiped at White Oak Methodist Church, where June taught Sunday School with her close friend Celia Mahan. After World War II, Celia's older brother, D.R. Mahan, returned home from the Navy and asked his sister whom he might date. When she suggested June Cooley, he replied, "She's just a kid!" On October 7, 1950, they were married. Years later, when asked how such a tall, skinny man convinced the beautiful June to marry him, D.R. would say, "I simply wore her down until she finally said yes." She would say, "D.R. made me laugh more than anyone, and I knew if I married him I would never be bored."

The young couple settled in Chattanooga, where their three children were born: Debby, Steve, and Mark. In 1959, D.R. once again persuaded June to take a leap, convincing her to move with their three small children to Memphis so he could pursue his dream of becoming a doctor. June agreed to leave her close extended family and live in public housing in the heart of Memphis while D.R. completed medical school. Her steady support, sacrifice, and hard work made his achievement possible.

Following medical school, the family moved to Dalton, Georgia, where June became part of the community she loved for the rest of her life. She managed daily, largely unseen miracles, maintaining a beautiful home while raising three children. June found purpose and joy through her involvement with Dalton First United Methodist Church and the Fellowship Sunday School class, the Hamilton Memorial Medical Auxiliary, Meals on Wheels, her beloved bridge club, and "Cat Fight" with her golfing friends. In later years, she spent more time at home in Rocky Face, often enjoying afternoon tea with her dear friend Rita Tibbetts. Bridge games eventually gave way to weekly Rook and pizza nights with her "favorite child," Steve, and her sister Lois's children, Jim Malone and Peggy Malone Manning. June's quietly competitive spirit endured throughout her life and was especially evident whenever she held a hand of cards.

In June's final years, her granddaughter Iris Mahan and her husband, Jeremy Paschall, affectionately known as "the Granny Whisperer," left New York City for an extended visit in Rocky Face. Recognizing June's declining health, they chose to stay and provide the care and support she needed. Their love and patience made her final years secure and meaningful. The entire family worked together to honor June's wish to remain in the home she cherished. Marsha Whitener, Margeana Norris, Jan Harris, and Sharon Vance completed the circle of compassion surrounding her.

June was preceded in death by her husband, D.R. Mahan, and her sisters, Lois Cooley Malone and Jean Cooley St. Charles. She is survived by her sister-in-law, Celia Mahan Hill of Chattanooga; her three children, Deborah Willis (Ken Willis) of Decatur, Georgia, Steve Mahan of Chattanooga, and Mark Mahan (Leah Mahan) of St. Augustine, Florida; as well as eight grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at the chapel at Dalton United Methodist Church on Sunday, February 15, at 3pm, with family visitation at 2pm. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to North Georgia Community Action, which works to improve the quality of life for low-income, elderly and home-bound populations in the region.