Edward Ayers Ingle

Born in Chattanooga on September 11, 1931, to Irene Ayers and Merle Roy Ingle, Ed (Eddie to some) lived in Chattanooga his entire life. He graduated from Chattanooga (City) High School in 1949 and then graduated from the University of Chattanooga. While there, he met his future wife and the love of his life, Catherine (Catch) Peyton Forney. They married in 1954 and were just short of celebrating 69 years before her passing in 2023.

Ed served as an officer in the United States Marine Corps for 2 years before beginning his career as a manufacturers representative for companies who offered raw materials for the carpet and rug industries. He eventually started his own business, Edward A. Ingle Company, successfully continuing in the carpet industry before retiring in 1993.

Ed was active in sports his entire life. He was a high school golden glove champion and played basketball for the University of Chattanooga and the Peerless Woolens. He also played fast pitch softball for the Chattanooga Gas Company and the Peerless Woolens, earning All State Honors. Ed loved the game of golf. While naturally right-handed, he was given a set of left-handed clubs, taught himself the game, and golf gained one of the best. He was a member of the Chattanooga Golf & Country Club for 44 years and a member of The Honors Course for 24 years. He recorded nine (9) Hole-in-Ones and during his playing years, he won the title of Senior Champion and Super-Senior Champion. Believing in giving back to the game and making it accessible to others, he served as President of the Tennessee Golf Association for two years and President of the Southern Seniors Golf Association for two-years. He was instrumental in the merger of the TGA and WTGA, which helped sustain the women’s golf association, and he fully supported the Little Golf House of Tennessee.

Ed was a loving and devoted husband, father, brother, grandfather, and great grandfather. He was known for being a friend and mentor to all he met. Ed is survived by his sister Andrea (George) Lawley, sisters-in-law Patsy Pennebaker and Yvy Forney; five children, Alice Ingle Krug, Beth (Robert) Lee, Carole (Sam) Weems, Andy (Kari) Ingle, and Debbie (Michael) Callahan; 12 grandchildren, Ty (Christine) Krug, Catherine Krug, Alston (Julie) Cumming, Warren (Rebecca) Lee, Peyton (Seth) Lee Gannon, Anne (Brian) Burley, Marybeth (Sarah Connette) Campeau, Hannah Ingle, Drew Ingle, Deming (Sam) Callahan Wehby, Kiernan Callahan, Ayers Callahan and seven great-grandchildren, Clara and Beau Krug, James and Conor Burley, Wren Elizabeth Cumming, Elizabeth (Liza) Campeau Connette, and Callahan Wehby.

The family will receive friends from 4-7 PM Wednesday, December 3rd, at the East Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, 404 South Moore Road, Chattanooga TN 37412.

The family will also receive friends from 10-11 AM Thursday, December 4th at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, 501 South Moore Road, Chattanooga, TN 37412.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at OLPH at 11 AM on Thursday, December 4, 2025, with Father Mike Nolan officiating. Interment will follow at Mount Olivet Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or the Chattanooga Area Food Bank.

Please visit www.chattanoogaeastchapel.com to share your thoughts and memories of Ed.