Mary Hannah Gillespie Long's Obituary
LONG, Mary Hannah Gillespie, age 81, of Nashville deceased on June 26, 2010 at Belcourt Terrace Nursing Home. She has been cared for since May of 2009. She was born April 5, 1929 to William Gillespie and Nellie Gray Harlan. 1948, she graduated from Central High School in Nashville where she excelled in music and drama. After graduation, she attended Peabody College where she met her husband, Rufus Long. She studied voice with Louis Nicholas and was a member of the Peabody Madrigalians under Charlie Bryan and was a member of the music sorority SAI. Mary sang lead in many of the Peabody productions. On Thanksgiving Day in 1951, she married Mr. Rufus Long at the now Downtown Presbyterian Church. In February of 1952, Mr. Long joined the air force as a musician and off they went. In May of 1953, they had their first born, Gilbert, in Minneapolis; then to Washington where Vicki was born in 1955.1956 found them back in Nashville where she studied voice with Gerald Arthur and played the lead in theater Nashville "Show Boat" and "The Old Maid and the Thief". Mary was soloist at Christ Episcopal Church, Woodmont Christian, Westminster Presbyterian plus others before becoming choir director and organist on her own at Eastland Presbyterian, St Pauls Lutheran Church in Hendersonville, the Lutheran Church in Ft. Myers, FL, and the Presbyterian church in North Ft. Myers, FL. At one time, Mary was the alto soloist for Nashville Pro Musical. Mary became a dance band singer in the 60's singing with several bands but ending up with her husband's,"The Clubmen". In 1993, Mr. and Mrs. Long moved to Cape Coral, FL. Here she had her first heart surgery. In 2004 she moved back to Nashville and endured subsequent surgeries. Her career as a singer was now over as the surgery destroyed her vocal chords. As she departs this life, Mary leaves behind her son, Gilbert and his wife, Erin, and their two adorable girls, Hannah and Jessica; as well as her daughter, Vicki, and her husband, John Jordan, and their two wonderful and talented young people, Matthew and Jennifer. She also has three step grand children, Trei (John Jordan, III), Jakob, and Lilly Jordan. Mary is a member of St. Patrick’s Anglican Church in Smyrna. She has been a wonderful wife and mother for 58 years. May God rest her soul. Visitation with the family will be on Saturday, July 3 from 9-12 with a service to follow in the chapel at Spring Hill at Noon. The service will be officiated by Father Ray Kasch. Pallbearers will be Perry Happell, Billy Cox, Charles Mowery, Terry Williams, Wilson Sharpe, Dennis Good, Jeff Bailey, and Eberhard Ramm. Many thanks for all of the helpful staff at The Belcourt Terrace Home. SPRING HILL FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY 5110 Gallatin Rd. at Briley Pky.
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