Mariella Godfrey Hull, 95 of Patoka passed away Tuesday, May 13, 2014 at St Mary’s Hospital in Evansville.

She was born October 7, 1918 to Charles Godfrey and Mary (Anthis) Godfrey in Knox County, Indiana.

She met John Floyd Hull, Jr. at Sloan’s Café in Patoka, and married him in 1942. 

Mariella was a graduate of Vincennes University and Oakland City University and received her Masters in Elementary Education from the University of Evansville in 1972. She taught elementary school for 33 years. Four years at Decker Chapel, nine years at Patoka and twenty years at Princeton. She retired in 1983. She was a member of Beta Sigma Phi, Gibson General Auxiliary, Order of Eastern Star, Gibson County Retired Teachers Association, and Indiana State Teachers Association. She was a long-standing member of the Patoka United Methodist Church. 

She very much enjoyed visiting with her former co-workers, her many former students, her friends from church, and seeing her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She loved to travel. Her favorite trips were to Russia with her grandson, and to the Canary Islands, where she rode a camel. She took pleasure in buying small gifts for her grandchildren. She had a great sense of humor, and when asked by a reporter who she would most hate to be left in a room with, she responded “a mortician”. Her biggest regret was retiring too soon, and her motto was “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened, and stay alive as long as you live”. Her family, friends, church, and volunteer work were of the utmost importance to her. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, her stepfather Mack Collins, her brother JA (Jack) Godfrey, and one niece, Rebecca Godfrey Goodson. 

She is survived by her daughter, Dr. Mary Anna Thrall and son-in-law, Dr. Francis Freemyer of Gill, Colorado; four grandchildren, Joseph Paul Bammer and wife Pam of Patoka, Dr. Anna Marie Freemyer Brown and husband Josh of Chicago, Sarah Elizabeth Freemyer and husband Michael Waido of Ft. Collins Colorado, and Clarissa Catherine Freemyer of Ft. Collins Colorado; four great-granddaughters, Emily Bammer, Katherine Bammer and Grace Bammer from Patoka and Lily Waido from Ft. Collins, Colorado; a great-great grandson, Braxton Bammer Kempf from Evansville; and her good friend and care provider, Aida Marvel. 

Her request for her epitaph: “There is more that I wanted to do!” 

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM on Saturday, May 17, 2014 at Colvin Funeral Home, Princeton, IN, officiated by Pastor Jeff Pinney. Burial will follow at Oak Hill Cemetery in Patoka, IN.

Visitation will be from 4 until 7 PM on Friday and from 9:30 AM until service time on Saturday at the funeral home.