By By Adam Prestridge
One couples love for animals has continued on despite their deaths as representatives for their estate presented the City of Atmore with a generous gift this week.
Genny Avery presented Mayor Howard Shell with a check in the amount of $200,701.82 during Monday’s city council meeting to be used solely for the Atmore Animal Shelter, which her “dear” friends, Margaret and Clifford Smith, willed to the city.
Shell said he was stunned when he first learned of the donation.
Margaret passed away March 19 just over a year after Clifford died on March 7, 2008. Shell said the money would definitely be used for its intended purpose.
As an expression of gratitude, Shell made a motion, which was unanimously approved to rename the animal shelter after the Smiths.
Jean Roley, who joined Avery at the meeting, said her friends would have been honored by the city’s approval.
Shell said renaming the animal shelter was the right thing to do.
The couple resided on Rockaway Creek Road in Atmore prior to their deaths. They both retired from the Civil Service
In other business, the council: