NASHVILLE - Mary Hobbs Armstrong Valentine McIntyre, devoted mother, daughter, and grandmother was called home to the Lord, Sunday March 2nd, 2008. She was 71 years old. She is survived by a son, David L. McIntyre; daughter-in-law, Elizabeth S. McIntyre; and grandson, Duncan Gabriel McIntyre, of Carlsbad, California; sister, Elizabeth Fuller, of Nashville; and brothers, I.T. Tim Valentine of Nashville and James Valentine of Sherrill’s Ford, N.C. She was preceded in death by her sister, Hazel A. Jessup, of Woodland, N.C. and her parents, Mr. and Mrs. I.T. Valentine of Nashville. She was a member of the Nashville Baptist Church.

Born in Rocky Mount, N.C. in 1937, she was raised in Nashville, N.C. and was a graduate of Nashville High School. She graduated from the Rex Hospital School of Nursing. She married Neal Duncan McIntyre of Red Oak. They lived in Norfolk, VA; Raleigh; and High Point, N.C. where she worked as a nurse. Returning to Nashville in 1979, she worked for the Nash County Health Department while attending the East Carolina University School of Nursing. She received her B.S. in nursing from East Carolina in 1982 and was certified in Gerontology. She was the Director of Nursing at Guardian Care in Wilson, N.C. before joining the Quality Assurance Department of Nash General Hospital in 1984. She retired from Nash General Hospital as the head of the Quality Assurance Department in 1998.

She served as a Guardian Ad Litum for Nash and Edgecombe counties from 1998 until her passing and was the advocate for the welfare of numerous children in this position. She was a long time member of the Nashville Planning Commission and was a member of the Nashville Town Council from 1997 to 2001. She was a member of the Nashville Chamber of Commerce and was the Chairman of the Nash County Nursing Home Community Advisory Committee. She was a strong supporter of the Brooklyn community of Nashville. She was honored as one of North Carolina’s Great 100 nurses in 1992 and the Distinguished Citizen of Nashville in 2002.

In retirement, she enjoyed bridge, visiting her son and his family in California, playing the horses at Del Mar, playing the slots at numerous Indian casinos in San Diego, and teaching children the finer points of poker playing using M&Ms. She was an ardent supporter of the Friends of the Cooley Library. She was a generous, caring woman who touched the lives of all that she met. She will be missed. In lieu of flowers donations can be made in her name to the Friends of the Cooley Library in Nashville.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 Thursday, March 6, 2008 at Nashville Baptist Church with Rev. Jason Gault and Dr. Gaylord Lehman officiating. Burial will follow at Oakdale Cemetery in Spring Hope. The family received friends on Wednesday evening, March 5, 2008 at the home. Online condolences may be sent to the McIntyre family by visiting www.wheelerandwoodlief.com.

Arrangements by Wheeler & Woodlief Funeral Home, 1130 North Winstead Avenue, Rocky Mount, NC 27804.