Mary Frances Scobey's Obituary
On June 20, 2022, Heaven received Mary Frances Scobey, a loving wife, mother and grandmother. Mary Frances was born on August 25, 1925 in Lafayette County, Mississippi to Victor S. Ashmore and Julia Isabelle Ashmore. Her parents and brother, V.S. Ashmore, preceded her in death.
Mary Frances loved writing and published her first poem at the age of eleven. Editor Jo McDivitt described her as “a renaissance woman.” As an octogenarian, Mary was still an artist, poet, writer, world traveler, grandmother and employed counselor.
She was the salutatorian of her graduating class in Booneville, Mississippi. After high school, Mary and her family moved to College Hill, MS and her beloved antebellum home, Sunset Hill where they enjoyed sharing their fishing pond with William Faulkner. Mary received her B. A. from the University of Mississippi in 1948 and her Masters in English and French in 1950.
From there her family moved to Piper, Kansas where she taught multiple grades in a one-room schoolhouse.
Her family returned south in 1952 and Mary Frances met the love of her life, Eugene Crawford Scobey. They married in Memphis in 1953. Mary taught first grade at Levi Elementary and a few years later, Mary and Gene welcomed their children Gene and Julianne.
Thanks to a life long friendship between Mary’s son, Gene and a Danish exchange student, Gorm Tuxen, Mary began a thirty-six year career working with high school exchange students from all over the world. She worked as a counselor for the American Intercultural Student Exchange until age 83.
In Mary’s eighties, she enjoyed painting, traveling and writing. She published her first book “French Memoirs World War l - A Mississippi Soldier in France “ - the true story of her father’s experiences in WWI. Next she authored her life story, “Just Passing Through”. “The Trials and Tribulations of Growing Older” followed. Her last book “Thirty-Six Years of Promoting Global Friendships” chronicled her love of working with students from all over the world.
Most of all, Mary loved her family. She is survived by her husband, Eugene Crawford Scobey, Sr., her son, Dr. Eugene Crawford Scobey, Jr. (Suzanne), her daughter, Julianne Scobey (Bill) Parks and grandsons, John Scobey, Dr. Justin Scobey and William Parks and step-grandchildren, Carolyn Frances Parks and Robert Parks as well as extended family.
To quote Mary Scobey, “I realize that I am not meant to find ‘home’ on this planet. The final destination we should all seek is the eternal life. God has prepared a Heavenly Home for us. “
Visitation will be on Tuesday, June 14 at 10:00 A.M. at Trinity Baptist Church, 8899 Trinity Road, Cordova, TN 38018. Services will follow at 11:00 A.M. Memorial Park Funeral Home will handle the arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, Mary’s spirit may be honored with memorials to the Tennessee Baptist Children’s Home or Mewtopia Cat Rescue.
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