Mark Womack
Mark Sanders Womack, Jr., after a long and most interesting life, died on December 25, 2020.
Born on Dec. 31, 1923, in Manchester, Tn., to Ethel Moody Womack and Mark S. Womack, Sr., he was raised in Murfreesboro, graduating from Central High School in 1942. He began his career as an operator for the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railroad and was a life long practioner of telegraphy. Married to Elizabeth Harrell on June 26 1943, he was drafted into the United States Army in 1943. Serving in Europe, Womack was the last surviving member of the 753rd Railroad Transportation Battalion. Released from active duty in February, 1946, he returned to his home and resumed his career with the NC & St.L Railroad and worked in Murfreesboro, Bridgeport, Cowan, and Chattanooga. While working, he completed his degree at the then Middle Tennessee State College. With the merger of the NC & StL and the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, he was assigned as Assistant Train Master for the Chattanooga-Nashville Division, and as Freight Agent for the Huntsville, Alabama Station and then back to Chattanooga as Rules Examiner for the L&N, which led to several years in Louisville and eventually to Jacksonville, Florida where he ended his career as superintendent of Rules for the SeaBoard Coast Line RR. He also served as Secretary of the National Association of Rules Examiners, was a recognized authority in the field and served as an expert witness on several occasions. He published articles on railroad history in several publications and often contributed letters to the editor of local papers. Mark was the last employee to work in the Union Station. Joining Jones Memorial Methodist Church in 1954, he was an active layman, serving as church lay leader, the Chattanooga District as lay leader and as Holston Conference Lay Leader. Following his retirement from the railroad, he became a local pastor in the United Methodist Church and served Payne's Chapel and Clifton Hills United Methodist churches and eventually served as minister of pastoral visitation at Jones Memorial.
He was predeceased by his parents and his brother, John Moody Womack, and his wife, Betty, and son Mark S. Womack III (and his wife, Judy).
He is survived by his son, Paul (Natalie), his daughters, Lynn Shelton (the late Lee Shelton), Vicki (Ronald Charlton), Mary Murdock (the late Randy Murdock), Lisa Brady (the late GaryBrady), and Laura Myers(Joe); 18 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews.
The family would like to extend special thanks to the Staff of Hospice of Chattanooga for their loving care.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Thursday at the East Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, 404 South Moore Road with the Reverend Clair Sauer officiating. The service will be live streamed on the Chattanooga Funeral Home, East Chapel Facebook page.
The family will receive friends from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday at the funeral home.
Burial will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 2, at Chattanooga National Cemetery. We respectfully ask that all current mandates set forth by the CDC and Hamilton County Health Department be adhered to. This includes social distancing and wearing masks at all times while on the premises.
Memorial contributions may be made to Jones Memorial United Methodist Church, 4131 Ringgold Road, East Ridge, Tn. 37412.
Please share your thoughts and memories at www.ChattanoogaEastChapel.com.