Mary Ashley Churchwell

Daughter of Grigg and Harriette Churchwell, Mary Ashley was born in Atlanta, GA on the 28th of March, 1958. She moved, with her family, to Savannah, Tennessee, where she and her three sisters were able to grow up closer to her grandmother, Luella Grigg Churchwell, her aunt, Nanniebeth, and her cousin Nan. Her childhood was full of warmth and love. It was full of long summers playing “kick the can”, enjoying ponies and dogs, working hard on the family farm, and enjoying their cabin on Pickwick Lake. While she always had a passion for English and art (which she maintained throughout her life), her admiration for her father, a physician, drove her to pursue a career in medicine.

She attended Vanderbilt University, where she received a Bachelors in Arts. She continued on to attain her medical degree from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC). After graduating, she completed an internship with Emory at the bustling Grady Hospital. She then returned to UTHSC to complete a dermatology residency.

Her work didn’t stop there. She eagerly established a dermatology practice in Germantown, TN, where she was joined by her sister, Lu, and brother-in-law, Mike Schneider. She cared deeply about her employees, always listening, encouraging their pursuit of higher education, and emphasizing the importance of fun through some of their favorite concerts or spa days. Mostly, she adored her patients. She endeared herself to many with her listening ear and kindness. Her relationship with her patients was what she treasured most.

Her passion for her work was matched only by her dedication to her children, Mary Elizabeth and Walker. In her early years of practice, her kids could often be found running around the office, getting into mischief with her nephew and niece, Grigg and Eliza. Her love for her children, and her entire family, was second to none. She encouraged her children to reach for the stars and follow their passion. She told them “You are a kind, smart, caring person. You can do anything you set your mind to”, and she believed every bit of that. From sitting at the table for family supper, to joining all of her sister’s families for Grizzlies games, she always placed importance on spending time with her family.

She also led by example. As a strong, independent woman, she was always reinventing herself and exploring new avenues of life. She took up tennis and loved her tennis friends (dragging her family along with her, of course). She traveled to China with her children and went skydiving with her son. She was involved at Farmington Presbyterian church, singing in the choir and spear-heading the building of a youth wing.

As her father had advised, she enjoyed the arts in her spare time and did so with passion. She helped design her own home that received awards from Southern Living. A room was dedicated to painting and drawing, full of canvases and easels, where she shared her love of art with her children. She took art and pottery classes, often joined by her daughter, who shares her love of the arts. She constantly pursued life-long-learning, and one of her favorite places to do so was in Chautauqua, NY. She was a voracious reader of poetry. theology, literature and philosophy. She loved discussing the things she learned with her family and her dear friend, Trish Spore.

Mary Ashley radiated compassion, intelligence, and creativity. She insisted on fairness and love to all, no matter their social or economic background, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity. She strongly believed that everyone deserves the same courtesy and dignity, and she tried to live that ideal throughout her life through philanthropy and volunteer work.

She is survived by her daughter, Mary Elizabeth Ward, and by her son and his fiance, Thomas Walker Ward and Sarah Wadsworth. She leaves her sisters and brother-in-laws, Lu Churchwell and Mike Schneider, Caroline Churchwell, Molly Churchwell and Doug Sweet, and her cousin, Nan Barlow. She leaves her beloved nieces and nephews, Grigg and Eliza Schneider, Katherine Delpriore, Charlie and Meg Sweet. She also leaves her dear friends, Trish and Richard Spore.

She was loved and is deeply missed. She has lived an incredible life, and she would want it to be celebrated. She would be incredibly proud of what she has left behind, as is her entire family. May we continue to walk in her footsteps.

The funeral service and visitation will be held Saturday, July 2nd at Farmington Presbyterian Church in Germantown, TN.

Visitation will be held from 9:30am - 10:45am. The service will begin at 11:00am. All are welcome!

In lieu of flowers, we would love for donations to be sent to any of the following charities in Mary Ashley’s memory:

OUTMemphis - https://www.outmemphis.org/donate/

Church Health Center - https://tinyurl.com/churchhealthcenter

Tennis Memphis: Youth Tennis Fund - https://form.jotform.com/212375474186158

Planned Parenthood - https://tinyurl.com/35ur5x9x

Hardin County Library - http://hardincountylibrary.org/

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.colliervillefuneral.com for the Churchwell family.