Marcia Gross Stewart

Marcia (Mish) Gross Stewart, age 71, passed away on Friday July 24th at her home in Nashville, Tennessee. Marcia was born on October 3rd, 1954 in Chicago, Illinois. Her family moved to Nashville before she turned one and she spent her entire life in this great city and was heavily involved in the local Jewish community.

She is survived by her husband Lee, son Caleb and wife Tierney, sister in law Beverly Essex, brother in law Elliott Stewart, nieces and nephews Hara Dembowski, Cathy Essex, Elizabeth Essex, John Patrick Essex, Christian Essex , Molly Alexander, Anna Thorne, and Sam Essex. Her extended family inclues many beloved grandnieces, grandnephews, and cousins. She is predeceased by parent Charles (Chuck) and Jeneanne (Neanie) Gross and sister Illene (Leenie) Gross.

Marcia attended high school in Nashville and the University of Tennessee at Knoxville before returning to Nashville. Soon after, she was hired as a temp for a nonprofit called the Urban Observatory, and was eventually hired on full time. It was here that she met a handsome young man named Lee, and after working together for about three years, they fell in love and decided to get married. They had a civil marriage at her family’s home in Nashville, TN, then married again in a small ceremony at West End Synagogue on March 30th, 1980.

Six years later, in the winter of 1986, they brought their first and only child into the world, Caleb. Marcia was a dedicated mother, and spent the first years of Caleb’s life caring for him. Marcia then got a job at the Jewish Community Center of Nashville, now the Gordon JCC, as their business manager. She spent over a decade in service to the center, instilling a culture of care, community, and compassion for all those who worked and attended the center. This role also afforded her son Caleb the opportunity to grow up in an amazing community, and always have a safe place to play, learn, and thrive as a young person. She was a part of a village that supported and raised generations of young Jewish kids.

After a short break from her time at the JCC, Marcia spent the rest of her working years as the Executive Director of the West End Synagogue. Her focus was heavily on the synagogue members, and ensuring that they felt supported, heard, and involved. She approached her work with compassion and empathy, and had an open-door policy where anyone in the community could walk right in.

That is simply who Marcia was: a caregiver. She was a respected resource and member of her community, and worked throughout her life to build bridges between people and systems. She was fiercely protective of her family and those she loved, and would go to the ends of the earth to ensure they had what they needed. She had an amazing sense of humor and her laugh filled a room. Even in the tough times in her life, of which there were many, she always found a way to celebrate and be thankful for the things she had.

Marcia’s funeral will be held graveside at the West End cemetery on Wednesday, July 29th at 10 AM, followed by a Shiva at West End Synagogue at 6 PM. The service will be livestreamed for those who cannot attend in person as we know Marcia’s community spread far and wide beyond the bounds of Nashville. (https://www.facebook.com/MarshallDonnellyCombs)

Donations in her memory can be made to the West End Synagogue. She will be missed, and may her memory be a blessing.