Joel Hodges Gunnells

Joel Hodges Gunnells, 82, of Marietta, passed away at home on July 31, 2022. He was born in Manchester, GA, a small city outside of Warm Springs, in 1939. His youth was spent in Athens, Conyers, Austell, and College Park as his father, Rev. Paul Gunnells, was a United Methodist minister in the North Georgia Conference. His mother, Cornelia Gunnells, taught elementary school; a fact that likely made Joe the good student who won spelling bees and had great report cards. As a young man Joe attended Young Harris College, then Emory University where he graduated with a BBA in Accounting. He started his career with Ernst and Young as an auditor. He served in the U.S. Army Reserves for 6 years and later, as a CPA, he worked for The Coca-Cola Company in Atlanta. For 24 years, he managed several accounting departments and prepared financial statements for the CCUSA Division. As Budget Director, he forecast revenues and expenses and became Executive Assistant to the Chief Financial Officer. In his retirement years, Joe worked at family tax offices and volunteered at Holy Family Catholic Church. Growing up, Joe’s immediate family included his one sister, Faith; but he married into a large Catholic family of four brothers and four sisters. With his wife Deb they became a blended family of 5 children: Paul, Joel, Janet, Ted, and Marcy. For over 40 years, Joe opened his home to all family and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas. At Thanksgiving there were often many cooks in the kitchen, and there were place cards, to insure you didn’t have to sit at the “Children’s Table” once you reached a certain age. On Christmas Eve, there was a creche for the Nativity play, with children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews dressed as Mary and Joseph, Baby Jesus, and of course many Angels! Even the three Wise Men made an appearance. There were Bible readings, family musicians, and the singing of hymns. Then after dinner, Christmas stories were read and Santa Claus made an appearance! As Joe was a quiet, reserved individual, it was truly a test of his patience and his wallet. At other times, there were reunions with his Gunnells cousins from Commerce to Macon to Savannah. Good Southern cooking was always enjoyed. There were trips to Bold Spring United Methodist Church in Carnesville for homecomings and funerals, as generations of family members lie in the church graveyard on land given by his grandparents. Joe was a good man who is now with The Lord. He is survived by Deb, his wife of 47 years; children, Paul (Carmela) Gunnells of Amherst, MA; Joel (Laurel) Gunnells of Tucker; Janet (Mark) Medlin of Suwanee; stepchildren Ted Ward of Marietta; Marcy (Bruce) Skillin of Marietta; grandchildren, Mia Hagye, twins Carina and Milena Gunnells, Emery Hagye, Elizabeth Gunnells, Joseph Gunnells, step grandchildren Sabrina Skillin, and Sam Skillin; his sister, Faith (Andy) Campbell of Elgin, Il and various in-laws, nieces, nephews and cousins. Funeral services will be held Saturday, August 27, 2022, 11:00 am, at Holy Family Catholic Church, 3401 Lower Roswell Rd., Marietta, GA 30068. A reception will follow with interment at Arlington Cemetery, 201 Mt. Vernon Highway, Sandy Springs, GA 30328. Arrangements are being made by Mayes Ward-Dobbins Funeral Home, Marietta (770-428-1511). In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the ASPCA, www.secure.aspca.org or St. Vincent de Paul, www.holyfamilycc.org/svdp

Joel Hodges Gunnells

August 10, 1939 - July 31, 2022