Rebecca Mauney

Rebecca "Becky" Jane Splawn Mauney, of Bessemer City, passed away on Friday, November 18th, surrounded by her loving family. On December 4th, she would have celebrated her 79th birthday. The daughter of the late Horace Leroy Splawn and Onie Mae Poteat Splawn, she was born in Gaston County. Her family will remember her for being the best wife, the best mom, and the best grandmother.

Becky spent her life as a caregiver and homemaker, caring for her parents and siblings from a very young age, and later her husband, Bus, and their five children. Leading by example with strength and humility, she taught her children how to care for her and others. She also worked for many years in the family grading and landscaping business.

The kitchen was her workshop, and she made wonderful meals, including favorite dishes like roast beef and gravy, biscuits, stickies, and countless birthday cakes. The meals were made even more special by the garden vegetables grown by her, her husband, and son Reid. They dedicated many days and months every year to planting, picking, and canning from their garden to put the best food on the table for their family.

She enjoyed passing along her great cooking skills to her children and grandchildren, and they will carry on the tradition of making her fresh coconut cake every Christmas. Becky was artistic, and it brought her great joy to create a homemade Christmas gift for each grandchild every year, including hand-painted towels and pillows, quilted blankets, and a cookbook with all her special recipes. She could play piano by ear, solve any crossword puzzle, and was an excellent seamstress. And she was very clever.

Becky is survived by her loving husband of 61 years, Kenneth "Bus" Wilbur Mauney; her children Wayne Mauney and wife Janet, Cindy Black, Patti Riggs, Reid Mauney, and Teresa Fried and husband Glenn; brother Dan Splawn; her seven grandchildren Kenny Mauney, Heather Mauney, Amanda Riggs, Rebecca Black, Elizabeth Black, James Black, and Matthew Fried; five great-grandchildren Fallon, Briana, Corbin, Ella, and Maleigha; and special friends Shirley Carrodus, Tommie Morris, and Harry Petrey. She had good neighbors and relatives nearby to help her, and there was always one of their Dobermans keeping watch.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by brothers Bruce, Clyde, Boyd, Glenn, Harry, and Talmadge Splawn; sisters Pat Phillips and Peggy Jenkins; and granddaughter Wendy Nicole Mauney.

The family would like to extend a very special thank you to the Gaston Hospice staff for all their help and kindness, especially Mary West and Lisa Bradshaw. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Gaston Hospice at P.O. Box 3984, Gastonia, NC 28054.

A graveside service will be held to honor Becky's life on Tuesday, November 22nd at 2:00 pm, in Hephzibah ARP Church Cemetery, 1911 Hephzibah Church Road, Bessemer City, and will be officiated by Rev. Hinkle Rayfield, Jr.