Mary Ann Jaszynski (Cantrell)

Mary Ann Cantrell Jaszynski, 83, of Canton, Georgia, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, surrounded by loved ones.

Visitation will be held on Friday, May 9, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the funeral home. A graveside service will follow at 1:00 p.m. at Refuge Baptist Church in Jasper, Georgia, with Pastor Darrell Rice officiating.

Mary Ann was a devoted mother, a gifted seamstress, a remarkable cook, and a woman of deep resilience and quiet strength. She was a natural mentor who taught others, by example, how to face adversity with grace and courage. Her life was a testament to dignity, perseverance, and unwavering love for her family. She also had a sharp sense of humor and impeccable timing.

Her life was marked by unimaginable hardship. As a young mother of two, she survived being poisoned with arsenic by her first husband, Charles Eugene Pritchard, who was later convicted of aggravated assault and attempted murder. She had to relearn how to walk, talk, and drive. She endured years of extensive physical therapy at Emory and then at Warm Springs. The poisoning left her with paralysis in all four limbs and permanent nerve damage, requiring her to use crutches and leg braces for the rest of her life. It also took away many of her physical abilities, including her talents for playing the piano and sewing. Despite this, her spirit remained unbroken. She faced each challenge with unwavering courage and determination, living fully until her final breath.

Mary Ann later remarried and, with her second husband, had a third child. Together, they raised three successful children. Her strength, honesty, and humor defined her role as a parent, and she worked tirelessly to instill in her children the values of independence, resilience, and integrity.

Despite her physical limitations, Mary Ann remained fiercely devoted to those she loved. When her middle child, Connie, was run over by a pickup truck and nearly lost her life and leg, Mary Ann refused to accept the hospital’s initial recommendation to amputate. She fought for her daughter’s recovery until a young surgeon, Dr. Paul J. Payne (now with Pinnacle Orthopedics), offered hope—and ultimately saved the leg.

Later, she supported her mother through cancer treatment, regularly driving her to Emory for care and tending to her needs. When her second husband was diagnosed with a terminal illness, Mary Ann remained by his side, caring for him through his final days.

She was preceded in death by, husband Thomas H. Jaszynski and parents John Willard and Eva Cowart Cantrell.

Survivors include:

• Son and daughter-in-law: Paul (Susan) Pritchard

• Daughter: Connie L. Erb

• Daughter and son-in-law: Amy Jaszynski (Craig) King

• Grandchildren: Katherine Erb, William Erb, and Michael King

• Sister: Emma Howell of Charlotte, NC, and her children, Cindy Markey and David Howell

Mary Ann's life was a testament to enduring love, unshakable faith, and inner strength. She will be deeply missed and forever remembered.