Nell Mohney
Nell Webb Mohney, author, columnist, inspirational speaker and noted Sunday School teacher, died at a local hospital on July 19, 2016.
Nell was a classy example of ageless energy, style, graciousness, and charm. Through her writing and speaking, she served as a positive role model and inspiration to countless others. Most importantly, her servant leadership was a strong testimony to her Christian faith and her commitment to the Kingdom.
Born in Shelby, NC on October 31, 1921, Nell received the Bachelor of Arts degree maga cum laude from Greensboro College, Greensboro, NC. In 1985, she was named distinguished Alumnus of Greensboro college. In 1984, she was awarded the Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Tennessee Wesleyan College, Athens, TN.
Following college graduation, Nell was employed by the First Methodist Church, Lenoir, NC as Director of Youth Ministries. Three years later, she was named Director of Youth Ministries for the Western North Carolina Conference of the Methodist Church including the summer camping program at Camp Carlyle in Hendersonville, NC and High School Youth Assemblies at Lake Junaluska, NC.
It was in that position that she was chosen as one of 18 youth delegates to represent the Methodist Church at a World Conference of Christian Youth in Oslo, Norway, in 1947. Another delegate from American Methodism was a young minister, Ralph Mohney, serving his first appointment in Holston Conference at Manker Memorial Church in East Chattanooga. Following the conference, the Methodist Church and the U.S. State Department sponsored two teams to work to rehabilitate young people in Poland and Czechoslovakia following World War II. Each caravan team had five young people and a counselor. Nell was on the Polish team and Ralph was the counselor.
They were married on December 31, 1948, and worked together in a team ministry in four pastorates, and Ralph's tenure as District Superintendent and later as President of Tennessee Wesleyan College in Athens, TN. After retirement they were invited to join the staff of the United Methodist General Board of Discipleship in Nashville. Their assignment was to visit, study and tell the stories of the denomination's fastest growing churches. This they did in two books, Parable Churches and Churches of Vision.
Their retirement from the Board marked the beginning of Nell's ministry to businesses, churches, and other professional groups as speaker, seminar and retreat leader. This led to her speaking professionally throughout the United States and in four foreign countries. During those years, she wrote and Cokesbury/Abingdon Press published 13 books and she co-authored eight additional books. Her favorite writing assignment, which began in 1978, was a weekly column in the Chattanooga Free Press, later the Chattanooga Times Free Press. She continued these weekly columns until her 94th birthday in October 2015.
Her favorite speaking assignment has been as teacher of adult classes in the churches in which they served. At the time of her death, she was teaching the Downtown Singles Sunday School Class at First-Centenary Church. In 1997, she was named a Woman of Distinction by the Chattanooga Chapter of the American Lung Association; in 1998 she was named to Marquis' "Who's Who in America"; in 1999 she was named Tennessee Woman of Distinction; in 2008 she and her husband received the Distinguished Service Award by the Downtown Kiwanis Club of Chattanooga; and in 2015 she was honored with the Lydia Impact Award given by Scenic City Women's Network.
She has served on the boards of Contact Ministry, American Lung Association, and the Administrative Council of First-Centenary United Methodist Church. Earlier, she served two terms on the Chancellor's Round Table of UTC and as one of the writers on the Chattanooga State publication, Chattanooga on the Move.
Nell was predeceased in death by her husband, Dr. Ralph Wilson Mohney, Sr. and a son, Richard Bentley Mohney.
She is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Ralph and Jackie Mohney; two grandchildren, Ellen Mohney (Ryan) Gray and Richard Wesley Mohney, and three great grandsons, Jackson David Gray, Carter James Gray, and Maddox Jude Gray. Nell was a constant source of support, encouragement and involvement for all of her family. The family wishes to acknowledge care giver Judy Jones for her years of faithful service and friendship to Nell.
A memorial service will be held at First-Centenary United Methodist Church on Sunday, July 24, at 3 p.m. with Dr. Doug Fairbanks and Dr. Linda I. McDaniel officiating. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Downtown Singles, Morgan and Mohney SundaySchool Classes along with her dear friends -- the "Floozies", a group of 12 ladies who meet monthly for discussion and support.
Visitation will be held from 1-2:45 p.m. in the narthex of the church. Burial will follow the service at Forest Hills Cemetery. The service will be live streamed at http://www.firstcentenary.com/live-stream1. (on the Media Page -- Nave Live Stream).
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to First-Centenary United Methodist Church in support of its television ministry or to Community Service Projects of the Downtown Singles SundaySchool Class.
Arrangements are by the East Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, 404 South Moore Road, East Ridge, Tn.
Please share your thoughts and memories at www.ChattanoogaEastChapel.com.