Mary E Claeys

Mary E Claeys, age 85, of Cordova, Tennessee passed away on Thursday, November 14, 2024.

Mary was born December 19, 1938, in Memphis, TN, one of eight children born to the late Gene and Bea Phillips. She graduated from Whitehaven High School in 1956 and, later, joined the Navy. While visiting friends on leave in Wisconsin, she met and fell in love with Elmer Claeys, who would become her loving husband of 65 years.

After having her first two daughters in Wisconsin, the family returned to Memphis in 1962, where she had another daughter and worked at Richard’s Manufacturing Company (Smith & Nephew) for 33 years. After retirement, she and Elmer moved to Custer, South Dakota, where they lived in the Black Hills for 15 years before returning to live with their oldest daughter in Cordova, TN.

Throughout her life she had a passion for reading, dancing, baking, and sports. While at Richard’s, she played on the company softball and basketball teams. She bowled in a league, and as her daughters grew, became the loudest cheerleader in the stands. Sitting alongside her husband, she continued to cheer on the Colorado Rockies and the Green Bay Packers. In their younger years, Mary and Elmer regularly enjoyed polka and square dancing clubs, but even as they got older, she always took any opportunity to hit the dance floor. Mary, a lifelong baker, was always eager to tryout a new recipe and made pies, cookies, and cakes for family, coworkers, friends, and charitable events.

Committed to honoring the service of her grandfather through her membership in the United Spanish American War Veterans Association, Mary served as national president in the 1990s. Following the footsteps of her older sister, Mary became a member of the Daughters of the Nile organization for Shriners in 1998 and served as both Queen of the Rapid City, SD, Naja Shrine in 2006 and Queen of the Memphis, TN, Al Chymia shrine in 2022.

Along with her parents, Mary was preceded in death by her sisters, “Nernie” Galbreath, “Bobbie” Potts, Elaine Horel, and “Sudie” Phillips, and brother Leslie Phillips.

To carry on her loving memory, Mary is survived by her husband, Elmer Claeys; her children, Maria (Brian) Gotwald, Cathy (Jeff) Foster, and Christy (Greg) Reasons; her grandchildren Amber, William, Amanda, Mark, Kara, Megan, and Ethan; great- grandchildren Josh, Jade, Khalia, Drake, McKayla, Cole, Emmett, and Mac; sister Belvia and brother Ray.

Family and friends will gather on Friday, November 22, 2024, to celebrate Mary’s life. The family will visit with guests from 1-2 PM; services will be held from 2-3 PM, and a reception till 4 PM will follow at Memphis Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens, 3700 N. Germantown Parkway, Bartlett, Tennessee 38133.

The family requests any financial donations be sent to the Daughters of the Nile Foundation in Mary's honor.

Online condolences, floral tributes, and directions may be found through www.memphisfuneralhome.