Joanne Wallace McCall

Joanne Barbara Wallace McCall was born on July 9, 1930 and passed away peacefully in her home on February 5, 2016. Born in Melrose Park, Illinois to her parents Leow Huston and Barbara Keizer Wallace. Predeceased by her parents and her beloved big brother, William Huston Wallace (1924-2004) of New Hampshire. Her parents met in Chicago when her father was hospitalized and cared for by her mother, a Registered Nurse. After Joanne’s birth, her family moved to Elmhurst, a suburb of Chicago, where they remained until 1950. Joanne was educated in the public schools of Elmhurst, graduating from York Community High School. She attended Beloit College in Wisconsin, where she graduated with honors and as a member of Phi Beta Kappa with a double major in History and Government. She also earned a Secondary School Teacher’s Certificate and a U.S. Civil Service Rating. Her love of travel and the intrigue of flying moved her to become a flight attendant for American Airlines. Always interested in travel, Joanne visited all 50 states, most of Europe, China, the Soviet Union, Israel, and southeast Asia. While employed by American Airlines, based in Nashville, she met Henry C. McCall, Jr. They married in 1953 and moved to Columbia, Tennessee where she taught 3rd grade before becoming a full-time home maker. They had three children, Barbara, Sue and Hank. Joanne also served as president of her garden club, sang in the First Presbyterian Church Choir, and was a Girl Scout leader. After 15 years in Columbia, the McCall family relocated to Nashville in 1969. Here Joanne continued her singing, with the First Presbyterian Church, also serving as Choir Librarian for some time. She tutored in Reading Readiness for the public schools of Nashville. Active at Cheekwood, she was an editor of the “Cheekwood Mirror”, and also a member of the Cheekwood Collector’s group. Joanne served on the board of Monroe Harding Children’s Home. In addition, Joanne was instrumental in planning and hosting meetings for employees and clients of Henry’s business, Financial Institution Services, Inc. In 1980 Joanne began researching the genealogy of both her family line and Henry’s. Over the next 35 years, she completed 7 full length books on the various family lines. Her books have been placed in libraries in South Carolina and Tennessee, as well as the D.A.R. Library in Washington, D.C. Joanne recently completed her book on the Wallace Family History, which includes the stories of the wives’ families: the Bruces, the Tulls including their connection to Nathan Bedford Forrest, and the Larimers. Thomas Larimer served in the Union Army and survived the battles of Shiloh, Vicksburg, and the defense of Washington D.C. late in the War. When she and Henry parted paths, she renewed her interest in history, with an emphasis on the Civil War. She travelled extensively with History-America and Smithsonian groups, visiting battlefields and doing research, and joined the Civil War Round Table in Naples, Florida, where she spent many warm and happy winters over the next decade. Joanne and her York High School girlfriends, “the Yorkies”, had reunions all over the United States, stretching from their early adulthood to the most recent in Colorado in 2014. Although Joanne was active in her church and civic groups, her first concern was her family. All three of her children graduated college, married and had families of their own. She is survived by her three children; Barbara Pitman (Jim), Susan Thomas (Dr. Scott), Hank McCall (Cathy ); nieces Holly FilsAime and Hope Murray; her eight grandchildren, Rachel Neal (Chase), James Pitman (Katherine), and Andrew Pitman, Elizabeth Thomas, Daniel Thomas, Harding McCall, Joanna McCall, Matthew McCall; and three great grandchildren, Lauren Pitman, David Pitman, and Clara Neal. Special thanks to Kathryn Whitaker for her assistance and companionship. Visitation is from one to two o’clock in the afternoon at the Cheek House, First Presbyterian Church, with the Memorial Service in Stanford Chapel at two o’clock on Saturday, February 13, 2016. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to First Presbyterian Church, Monroe Harding Children’s Home, and the Battle of Nashville Preservation Society.