Charles Abbott Burdeshaw

The Rev. Charles A. Burdeshaw, "Doctor Charlie," a pediatric dentist who served children in the Nashville, Middle Tennessee and the surrounding areas for more than four decades, died on June 9, 2023. A vocational deacon ordained in 1989, he served at St. Ann’s Episcopal Church for nearly 30 years.

Charlie was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee on May 24, 1940 to Cornelia Burks and James Ralph Burdeshaw. He grew up attending St. Paul's Episcopal Church in downtown Chattanooga, where he served as an acolyte. He graduated from Baylor Military Academy in 1958, taking with him two of his best lifelong friends, Nick Gill and the late Rick Bohr. He enrolled at Emory University, later transferring to the University of Chattanooga to complete requirements before enrolling at UT Memphis, Medical Units, where he graduated from dental school 1965.

He met Rosemary Brown in Memphis in 1963 while they were both attending UT Memphis. They married March 18, 1964. After graduation in 1965 they moved to Missouri to set up and work a mobile dental unit for the Missouri Department of Health for 18 months. They did this together. It was there that Charlie decided to specialize in Pediatric Dentistry. He then enrolled at University of Missouri Dental School in Kansas City and graduated from that program in 1968. Charlie then spent two years at Fort Benning in the Army Dental Corps as a Captain.

In October of 1970, after completing his service in the Army, Charlie and Rosemary moved back to the Nashville area. Charlie set up his dental practice in Hermitage and continued there until his retirement in 2014. He was loved by his patients and staff who gave him a grand send off when he officially left practice.

Charlie and Rosemary's only child, Sara “Sunny” Burks Burdeshaw Donnelly, was born in 1967.

Charlie attended the two-year Servant Ministry Program for deacons at the Episcopal Theological Seminary in Lexington, Kentucky from 1987-1989. With his dear friend, Dolores Nicholson, he was ordained a vocational deacon on October 28, 1989. He was assigned to St. Ann's Episcopal Church in 1990 and served there until his retirement in 2019.

Charlie loved his work with St. Ann's Episcopal church, assisting with communion and services on Sundays and providing pastoral care when needed. The community there was very special to him and the relationships developed during those years remained important to him for the rest of his life. Over the years Charlie volunteered with Our Kids (where he served on the board), PBS during their Action Auction fundraisers where he and Rosemary met close friend Eleanor Peak, Nashville Crisis Center Hotline and with the Tennessee Central Railway Museum where he and Rosemary helped as car attendants during excursions such as the train robbery and Thomas the Tank Engine. Charlie and Rosemary got involved with BBQ tasting and contests, judging BBQ and other delights for the Kansas City Barbeque Society. Charlie had longtime professional affiliations with the The Music City Study Club and the Nashville Dental Society for whom he oversaw the creation of a parade float in the 1970's. In support of that organization he maintained and pulled the float in local and surrounding area parades for years with his prized 64 1/2 Mustang convertible.

He was a proud father to Sunny, father-in-law to Harold, grandfather to Maemie, Eamonn, Susanna, Catherine and great-grandfather to April. Charlie relished the times he got to pick his grandchildren up from school and take them for a treat or take them to a Predators or Titans game. The grandkids were amazed at his ability to put away a footlong chili dog. They loved his care and concern regarding their car maintenance and tire condition, and never tired of his stories about travel, family and the old memories he shared from his youth.

Charlie had various interests over the years that came and went such as hang gliding, stained glass and cycling. On the advice of his mother, Cornelia, one constant in his life was travel. Charlie and Rosemary loved an adventure and traveled locally and across the world. A favorite local destination was Gatlinburg at New Year's. Other US favorites included Hilton Head at Thanksgiving, San Francisco, Sedona and New York City. They also enjoyed traveling to see family in Dothan, Alabama, and Bowie, Maryland. Charlie and Rosemary traveled the world by air and ship visiting places like Russia, France, Peru, Africa, Cuba, Hawaii, Alaska, England, Scotland, Switzerland, Germany, Mexico, Jamaica and the Bahamas, where they traveled annually for 40 years looking forward to seeing many of the same friends year after year.

He is survived by his wife Rosemary of 59 years and his daughter Sunny (Harold) Donnelly of Nashville. Survivors also include four grandchildren: Maemie Donnelly of Nashville; Eamonn Donnelly of Dallas, Texas; Susanna Donnelly and Catherine Donnelly of Nashville and one great grandchild, April. He is also survived by his sister, Janie Decker of Florida and various in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins and dear friends.

A memorial service and interment will be held at St. Ann’s Episcopal Church on July 17, 2023 at 2 PM. Visitation and reception will follow.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Our Kids or St Ann's Episcopal Church in Nashville.