Jean Hagey Jolly went to be with the dear Lord in heaven and be reunited with many loved ones on April 3, 2021 . She was born on September 22, 1925, to the late William Frank Hagey and Ruble Hutcheson Hagey Glaus. She attended Cumberland High School where she graduated with honors, played basketball and tennis, and was a cheerleader all four years.
She received her BA in 1947 from George Peabody College where she majored in Political Science and was a member Pi Gamma Nu and Phi Beta Kappa. She started her teaching career at Nashville’s North High School and taught there for fifteen years. She received her Masters from Vanderbilt University in 1951. She later taught at West Nashville Junior High School/W. A. Bass Jr. High School for fifteen years and finished her long teaching career of 42 plus years from West End Middle School. She was an active member of the Beta Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma since 1969 and belonged to the major teacher organizations (MNEA, NEA, TEA, and MNRTA) throughout her teaching career.
Jean is survived by daughter Jeanine Jolly (Dr. Wade) Denney and her son Charles “Chuck” (Lisa Kelly) Jolly. She dearly loved her two granddaughters Julia Denney (Stuart) Styles and Patricia Denney (Luis) Peña, and she leaves behind many dear family members: sister Judy Hagey Wright, niece Terri Wright Philpo, nephew Jim (Amanda) Wright, Jr., niece Diane Hagey (Mark) Levine, brother James (Betty) Hagey, niece Sandy Hagey (Dr. Brian) Leper, and nephew Frank (Teresa) Hagey as well as many other cousins and relatives. Jean was preceded in death by brother Richard E. Hagey, sister-in-law Betty Hunter Hagey, nephew Richard E. (Rick) Hagey, Jr., and brother-in-law, James (Jim) E. Wright. She is also survived by special cousins Betty and Everett Hunt, Delores and Philip Coleman, and Julia and Wavell Stewart. Other dear cousins Mary Jo Smith, Lucille Weber Allen, Ruth Crowell, and George Owens preceded her in death. She also leaves behind close friends Annette Martin, Mary Ann Young, and Gladys Chatman, and was proceeded in death by several ‘Golden Girl’ friends, Lassie Draper, Alease Thompson, Mildred Wright, and Catherine Connors.
Jean never met a stranger her entire life as she loved people, loved talking, and loved children. Out of the thousands of students she taught, many kept in close touch with her, and until her health no longer allowed her to do so, she always enjoyed attending the annual reunions of the North High Association where she was a special guest with her former colleagues. She loved the cheer and colors of Christmas time and enjoyed decorating her home of 54 years for the holidays. She had what she called “a great fall” decorating her yard with candy canes in December of 2010 and nearly lost her foot, spending many months after in the hospital and rehab. Jean loved reading, politics, traveling, and going out often with her dear friends, the ‘Golden Girls’, as they were affectionately known by family and friends. She always loved current events and history, the news, and debating. She always wanted to help those in need and loved her years volunteering at Baptist Hospital as a ‘Pink Lady’. She had a strong will for living and loved her many cousins, nieces and nephews, her kind and caring neighbors, wonderful teacher friends, education colleagues, and former students.
Jean as well as the family would like to thank the following for her special care over the years as well as over the last few days: Dr. Julia Gomez, Dr. Terri Wood Jerkins and Dr. Randy Jerkins, Dr. William Petrie, Dr. Sheila Shuler, the Staff, Nurses, and Care Associates of the Brookdale Green Hills Cumberland, and Guardian Hospice.
Honorary Pallbearers include Annette Martin, Jane Baxter, LeeAnn Wall, Gary Harville, Judy Griggs, Renita Cobb, Jane May, Doris Hendrix, Hazel Cooper, Carol Beth Coleman Williams, Dr. Karen Hunt and Jan Hunt Hoagey.
Active Pallbearers include Grandson-in-laws Luis Peña and Stuart Styles, nephews Jim Wright Jr. and Frank Harris Hagey, cousin Benny Coleman, Dick Baxter, Patrick Wall, Nicholas D. Bailey, Mark Earnest, and Paul Speck.
In lieu of flowers, please contribute to the Churches of Christ Disaster Relief Fund, donate to PENCIL, a nonprofit supporting MNPS teachers, or reach out to support a teacher or school of your choice.
Visitation will be Thursday, April 8, from 12 noon until 2 o’clock at the Chapel of Hillsboro Church of Christ. The service to immediately follow in the Chapel at 2 PM. Burial to follow at Woodlawn Cemetery.
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