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Mrs. Mary Gwendolyn “Gwen” Miles Raley of Andalusia passed away Thursday, March 18, 2021 in a Pensacola hospital. She was 75.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 2 p.m., Sunday, March 28, 2021, at Northside Baptist Church, with her brother, Rev. Ray Miles officiating.

Her younger years were spent working as a seamstress with the Alatex. After its closing, “Gwen” being in her mid-40’s, with no preparation, successfully passed the GED test and enrolled at MacArthur College in the LPN program. She spent the next 20 years working with the area hospitals and nursing homes. A founding member of Northside Baptist Church; she was passionate about getting children to attend church; on Tuesday afternoon’s Gwen could be seen driving the area neighborhood canvassing for children to go to church with her where she taught the Tuesday’s night children’s program. Gwen was a lady with a “heart of gold”, always giving to others, and known to always boldly speak her mind; the family chuckled as they reminisced how she described herself as being “happily” divorced.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Mary Edna Easley Miles. Left to cherish her memory, daughters, Robin McNeill (Al) and Dawn Kelley, all of Andalusia; brother, Ray Miles (Barbara) of Andalusia; grandchildren, Darshana Maddox, Justin Maddox (Jecca) Dupree Miles, Lee Miles (Rachel); great-grandchildren, Raley Beth Maddox, Dawson Reed Maddox and Grandma Gwen was so excited about baby Maddox who is expected to arrive in September; and nieces, Nesha Jones, and Candace Cassady.