Mary Francis Grogg

Mary Francis Collette Grogg, age 88, of Sullivan Gardens went to walk with our Lord in Paradise on Saturday, October 10, 2015 from Wellmont Holston Valley. Francis was born in Greene County, TN in August 1927 to the late David Paul and Jessie Leah Riggs Collette. Francis lived in Limestone and Chuckey until her family moved to Sullivan Gardens in 1943.

Francis graduated from Sullivan West High School in 1945 and went on to work for J.C. Penny, King Engineering and First National Bank. She accepted Jesus Christ into her life on July 2, 1944 through baptism at “The Blue Hole,” and became a member of Glen Alpine United Methodist Church. Francis loved music and flowers from a young age and enjoyed playing the guitar and the beauty of her flower gardens throughout her life. She was also talented in crocheting, knitting and sewing. Above all, Francis will be remembered for her kindness to friends, family and everyone she met…To know her was to love her.

Francis is survived by her loving daughter, Rachel Collette Grogg and her fiancé David Lockard; her adopted son, Matthew Wood; her adopted daughter, Karen Holcomb; her sister, Jean Collette Harris Devereux; three nieces, Sue Ann Greene and husband Jack; Gail Honaker and husband Larry, and Christine Keathley; one nephew, Richard Harris and wife Kathy of Kingsport; numerous nieces and nephews from Samuel Keener Grogg's family; great nieces and nephews in abundance; two brothers-in-law, Damos Grogg and wife Ramona and Lewis Grogg; and one sister-in-law, Olivette Fletcher. She will also be missed by the kitties who knew her as their "Cat Nanny."

She was preceded in death by her parents, David Paul and Jessie Leah Riggs Collette; and the father of her daughter, Samuel Keener Grogg. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, October 14, 2015 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at East Lawn Funeral Home in Kingsport, Tennessee. Funeral services will be at 7:00 p.m. immediately following visitation in the Chapel of East Lawn Funeral Home with Pastor Nate Ware of Depew’s Chapel Methodist Church officiating. Graveside service will be on Thursday, October 15, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. in the Garden of the Apostles of East Lawn Memorial Park. Serving as pallbearers will be Matthew Wood, David Lockard, Chris Osborne, Richard Harris, Larry Honaker, Jack Greene, Stephen Kerney, and Lawrence Tipton DeFreece. The family sends a very special thanks to Francis’ dearly loved sitters: Karen Holcomb, Kelsey Spencer, Sharon Metcalf, Matthew Wood, David Lockard, and Misty McFarland. Also, a special thanks to Dr. P. Singh whose advice and compassion was greatly appreciated; all the nurses of W3, Wilcox Hall; the doctors who worked to keep her comfortable at the end of her journey; and to Susie from Advanced Home Health Care.

The family requests that memorial contributions be made to Journey’s End No-Kill Animal Society, 285 Rock Springs Rd, Kingsport, TN 37663 (423) 239-5645 www.adoptapet.com/adoption_rescue/69535.html Online condolences may be made to the family at www.eastlawnkingsport.com. East Lawn Funeral Home and Memorial Park has the honor of serving the family.