“O Death, where is thy sting? O Grave, where is thy victory?
The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to … Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Mary Nell Connell, resident of Bartlett, Tennessee, and former resident of Eads, Fisherville, Jackson and Arlington, Tennessee and widow of Ferdinand Thomas Connell departed this life March 16, 2019. She died after a long illness. She was a dedicated Christian who spent much of her time studying Scripture, Biblical matters, and discussing them at length with her pastors who visited often. Mrs. Connell formerly attended Bellevue Baptist Church where she taught preschool for many years. She was an honors graduate of Collierville High School. Services of Remembrance for Mrs. Connell will be conducted at Memphis Funeral Home Memorial Gardens on 3700 North Germantown Road by Dr. James Savage of Bethel Baptist Church in Jackson, TN. Interment will follow at Reid Cemetery, George R. James Road, Eads, TN. All are invited to attend this celebration, especially her former students.
Mrs. Connell was born April 22, 1930, in Eads. She was preceded in death by her husbands, William Phares Burrows and Ferdinand T. Connell, her parents, Perry Wallace Bryan, Sr. and Alva Lee Cooper Bryan, and four siblings, an infant brother, Kenneth Murray Bryan, Perry Wallace Bryan, Jr. and Adelle Bryan Yates. Mrs. Connell received her education from the Shelby County Schools, and later received a full grant/scholarship to Memphis State University (University of Memphis) where she received a degree in English and Mathematics Education after all four of her children were born, earning a “B” average. She taught English at Bolton High School in Shelby County for thirty years.
Mrs. Connell leaves four children: William Perry (Glenda) Burrows, Sarah Nell Perkins (Sid) Holden, Hunter Lee (Debbie) Burrows, and Melanie Burrows (Steve) Funk. She also leaves five granddaughters, eleven great grandchildren, and a several g-g grandchildren. She also leaves a sister Sarah Ellen Bryan (Bill) Cathey of Reno, Nevada, and two step sons, David and Wayne Connell.
Mrs. Connell was an exhaustive worker who maintained extra employment teaching night school at Memphis Boys’ Town/Ellendale and working in the family businesses in Arlington, Tennessee. She loved to cook and she excelled at it. For many years, she maintained one or two half-acre gardens, one spring and one fall. She cared for both of her parents as well as a great aunt in their retirement years. She loved Bolton High School and she was very proud to have been a part of its dynamic growth and its inclusive development during her tenure. Before and after retirement, she dedicated much of her time serving as chair of the Reid Cemetery Association and being sure that those grounds were maintained.
Those honored to be pall bearers are: Michael Bryan, John Burrows, Tommy Morrisson, Clinton Pair, Frank Reid and Bish Thomas. Honorary Pall Bearers: Jim Bryan, Wayne Byrd, Van Melton.
Mrs. Connell specifically requested that memorials be sent to the Historic Reid Cemetery Fund, % Frank Reid, 2100 Route 194, Rossville, TN 38066 in lieu of flowers.
