Robert McTyeire Tigert Jr.

TIGERT, Robert McTyeire, Jr.—of Nashville, TN, passed away peacefully in the late evening of February 20, 2012. Bob was born April 23, 1926, in Nashville, TN, and spent his early life in Nashville, IN, before returning to Tennessee at age 6. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Ruth Ann McCall Tigert; his brother William (Bill) and sister-in-law, Rebecca Tigert; his mother Justine Bruce Tigert Cannon, and father Robert McTyeire Tigert, Sr., He is survived by his 3 children, Robert M. Tigert III (Mary Ellen, fiancé) of Nashville, Bruce M. Tigert (Cindy) of Tampa, FL, and Leanne Tigert, DMin, (Emily) of Concord, NH. His grandchildren are Hunter M. Tigert and Jonathan M. Tigert, both of Nashville, and Adair M. Tigert of Tampa, FL; and his step-grandchildren are Rachel Geoghegan and Sarah Geoghegan, both of Concord, NH. His brother-in-law, Henry C. (Buddy) McCall, Jr., (Sue) of Nashville, has always been considered as “immediate family”; as have been his nieces Barbara M. Pitman (Jim) of Nashville and Susan M. Thomas (Scott) of Boulder, CO, and his nephew Henry E. (Hank) McCall (Cathy) of Brentwood, TN. Additionally, Joanne Wallace McCall, former sister-in-law, of Nashville and Naples, FL, and first cousins Margaret Bolling Henderson (Phil) of Palm Coast, FL, and Mary Jane Bolling Ward of Naples, FL, comprised a tight-knit (and well-fed!) group known as “The Cousins.” Numerous other cousins and in-laws reside throughout the U.S., foremost of whom are his nieces Rebecca Tigert Eaton (Michael) of Petoskey, MI, and Mary Tigert Bessent, DDS, (Tommy) of Nashville, TN.

Bob attended Howard and Woodmont Grammar Schools in Nashville and graduated from Ft. Lauderdale, FL, High School, Class of 1944. Bob was a World War II veteran who served in U.S. Army Infantry 1944-1946 in the European theatre, primarily in Belgium, France and Germany. After his discharge, he attended Emory University for his freshman year, then transferred to Vanderbilt University, graduating in June 1949. A tragic private airplane accident in the Florida Everglades killed his father in December 1946, after which his mother returned to Nashville with Bob and his brother Bill. In Nashville he renewed his Woodmont school relationship with Ruth Ann McCall, which blossomed into their 60-year marriage. Bob enjoyed a successful sales position with Burroughs Adding Machine Co. and later at Baird-Ward Printing Company, where he became the Vice President of Sales. In 1968, he and Ruth Ann established the Nashville favorite, The Games Store of Nashville, Inc., with locations in 100 Oaks Mall, Green Hills Mall, Rivergate Mall, and in Phipps Plaza in Atlanta Additionally, Bob and Ruth Ann opened Justine’s (Gold Crown) Hallmark Stores in Green Hills, Cool Springs and Rivergate. Retirement on 1992 found them splitting time between homes/golf courses in Nashville and Naples, FL. Bob was a dedicated golfer and long-term member at Richland Country Club. He was also an active participating member of Blakemore United Methodist Church and various civic organizations and projects, including being the Chairpersons (in 1992) of the inaugural Good Health Golf Classic golf tournament, to benefit the Saint Thomas Foundation for Saint Thomas and Baptist Hospitals. They were honored as inductees to the Seton Society of the Saint Thomas Foundation in 1996. Bob also established the Ruth M Tigert Memorial Scholarship at Martin Methodist College, which is awarded annually to deserving students. His warm smile and genial disposition, and dry sense of humor, will be dearly missed by all those who knew and loved him. The family expresses deeply sincere appreciation to the staff at Woodcrest at Blakeford of Green Hills for the service and support rendered during his final years.

Visitation will be hosted on Fri., Feb. 24, from 5-7 p.m. at Marshall Donnelly-Combs. Funeral services will be held at 11a.m., Sat., Feb. 25, at Blakemore United Methodist Church, 3601 West End Avenue, Nashville, with visitation one hour prior to the service. Pallbearers will be family members; and a private internment will happen after the funeral service. In lieu of flowers, donations are suggested to Alive Hospice, Inc., 1718 Patterson Street, Nashville, TN 37203, or to Martin Methodist College for Ruth Ann McCall Tigert Scholarship, 433 West Madison Street, Pulaski, TN, 38478.