BOZEMAN, MARY NELL RULE - Funeral services will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 30, at MeadowBrook Baptist Church in Gadsden for Mary Nell Rule Bozeman, 62, of Rainbow City, AL. who went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Monday, June 27, 2011. Reverends Randy Gunter and Rick Deerman will officiate. Burial will be at Crestwood Cemetery. Collier-Butler Funeral and Cremation Services will be directing. Mary Nell was a native of Knoxville, Tennessee, and was a proud graduate of the University of Tennessee where she received a degree in music and a masters degree in counseling. She spent a majority of her life ministering in the Gadsden area as a counselor, youth director, and most recently through Gadsden State Community College in the Jobs Program. Mary Nell was also a private vocal instructor. Her favorite work was in the ministry of Meadowbrook Baptist Church where she was a loyal member of the Choir and a beloved Sunday school teacher. Mary Nell's impact on the lives of the people in the Gadsden area is beyond measure. She lived her faith every day by sharing Christ's love through music. She was frequently requested to sing at civic and church events. She was also known to grace the local community theatre stage to share her talents with the local artistic community. She also brought the love of Christ and music to the children at MeadowBrook. She directed children's choirs for many years and help found the MeadowBrook Worship Arts Academy. Ms. Bozeman was preceded in death by her father, Rev. Luther Clyde Rule; mother, Bernice Joyce Shook Rule; and brother, Philip Henry Rule. She is survived by numerous family members and friends: Jim Bozeman of Gadsden; sons, Philip Jason Bozeman and Michael Andrew Bozeman of Gadsden; daughter, Allison Marie Simpson and son-in-law, Matthew Wayne Simpson of Waxhaw, North Carolina; granddaughters, Mattie Grace Simpson and Maryn Kate Simpson; sister-in-law, Jane Rule; nieces, Melony Hayden and Wendy Rule and nephew, Luther Rule. Pallbearers will be James Hancock, Wayne Finley, Carson Pearce, Brandon Snyder, Chip Tucker, and Sam Tunstill. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial gifts be made to MeadowBrook Baptist Church. The family will be accepting friends from 4 until 6 on Thursday at the church.

Published in the Knoxville News-Sentinel on June 29, 2011.