Mary Catheryne Phipps McCalla

Mary Catheryne Phipps McCalla died peacefully at home in Rosemark, TN on August 23, 2014. She was born in McComb, MS on September 21, 1919, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Leeper Phipps. Her father was a Civil Engineer and during her childhood they moved several times. She spent much of her early childhood with her grandparents and uncles near Chandler, OK, attending elementary school in a one room school house where she skipped the second grade. In 1929 the family moved to St. Genevieve, MO, and then to Osceola, AR and finally, in 1933 to Memphis, TN. After graduating from Central High School in Memphis, she attended the University of Tennessee (Knoxville), graduating in the Spring of 1940. While at the University of Tennessee she was a member of Alpha Delta Pi Sorority, a member of the student newspaper (Orange and White) (four years) and was the Society Editor for two years. She remained involved in her sorority and the University of Tennessee for the rest of her life.

In the Fall of 1940 she began teaching sixth grade in Millington, TN where she met Alfred Knox (A. K.) McCalla from Rosemark. He was teaching vocational agriculture and was in the Army Reserve. They married at Idlewild Presbyterian Church on August 8, 1941. The couple lived in Millington, TN until the outbreak of World War II when A. K. was activated. The couple moved to Ft. Benning, GA; then to Ft. Meade, MD where she worked temporarily for the War Department in Washington, D.C., and where their first child, Frank Knox McCalla was born. They were then transferred to an Army Training Camp in Wisconsin. In 1944, A. K. was transferred to the Pacific theater. She returned to Memphis to live near her parents.

In 1946, her husband returned from Japan to Rosemark where he taught vocational agriculture to returning veterans and farmed, and the couple began construction of their home in Rosemark, TN. Twins Jon and Molly were born in February, 1947 and the family moved to their new home in the Fall of that year. Their fourth child, Tom McCalla, was born in 1952, and two years later Mrs. McCalla returned to teaching, first as a part-time Kindergarten teacher at the Naval Air Station in Millington, then as a third grade teacher at Lucy Elementary School, and later as a third grade teacher at Millington Central Elementary. In 1970 she became Principal of Millington East Elementary School. She retired from that position in 1983. After retirement, she was an active volunteer in the Brooks Museum League and enjoyed serving as a docent at the Wonders Series. Her hobbies included traveling, reading, knitting, gardening and flower arranging.

Mrs. McCalla was a devoted member and Deacon of Richland Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church (Rosemark), where she also served as a member of several Pastoral Search Committees, as Assistant Treasurer of the Church, and as a member of the Building Committee for the Memorial Hall addition. She was a long time member of the Lois Castles Circle.

She was a member of the River City Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and a member of Alpha Delta Kappa International Honorary Sorority for Women Educators, serving as President of Alpha Chapter of ADK in 1980-1982. She served as President of the Shelby County Education Association and Chairman of the Shelby County Heart Fund Drive. An avid gardener, she was a member of the Garden Club of Rosemark, where she served as its President. She served as Treasurer of the Tennessee Federation of Garden Clubs and on several of its State and District Boards. She was a National Garden Clubs Life Member. As recently as this Spring, daffodils from her garden won Blue Ribbons at the Mid-South Daffodil Society Show.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, A. K. McCalla and her sister, Frances Phipps Plunkett. She is survived by her four children, Frank Knox McCalla (Linda) of Collierville, Jon Phipps McCalla (Mary) of Memphis, Molly McCalla Hampton (Kennon) of Rosemark, and Thomas Lee McCalla (Terri) of Bellingham, WA; and eight grandchildren, Cathy Zavodny (Doug), Fran Kelsey (Carr), Lee McCalla Hampton (Kristen), Jon Knox Hampton (Lucy), Kate McCalla, Clair McCalla, Kurt McCalla, and Lorraine McCalla; and seven great-grandchildren. The family will receive friends on Tuesday, August 26 from 5 - 7 p.m. at Memphis Funeral Home, 5599 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee. Funeral services will begin at 11 a.m. Wednesday, August 27 at Richland Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, 8658 Rosemark Road, Rosemark, TN 38053, with interment in Rosemark Cemetery. The family requests that memorials be made to: Richland Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church (Richland Presbyterian) or Historic Archives of Rosemark and Environs, Inc., 6177 Mudville Rd., Millintgon, TN 38053 or to a charity of the donor’s choice.