Clara Mae Terry
Clara Mae Terry, 81, departed this life on Monday, January 4, 2021, at Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga, TN.
She was born to the late Reverend Joe Fitzpatrick and Mattie Davidson Fitzpatrick, June 9, 1939, in Lanett, Alabama. She joined Mt. Nebo Baptist Church in West Point, Georgia where her father pastored at an early age and she accepted Jesus Christ as her savior and was later baptized.
She was united in marriage to Emmit Terry, Sr. in 1956 and in this union two sons were born.
She was married to her husband for 33 years before he preceded her in death in 1989.
She was also preceded in death by her father, Reverend Joe Fitzpatrick; mother, Mattie Davidson Fitzpatrick; stepmother, Pearl Fitzpatrick; eight sisters, Rosa Lee Harris, Idle Pearl Fitzpatrick, Willie Grant, Alma Gene Boykins, Winiford Payne, Louise Shepherd, Lucille Drake, Eva Lee Townsend; six brothers, Clarence Fitzpatrick, Dave Fitzpatrick, Reverend Robert Fitzpatrick, Joseph Fitzpatrick, Sam Fitzpatrick, Henry Fitzpatrick; and stepsister, Sara Boyd.
She worked many jobs in her life as well as maintained her position as a mother and housewife. She was employed at the Chattanooga Times for years up until she started having health issues causing her to retire. She instilled in her children the value of hard work and the love for family. She joined Second Unity Baptist Church in Cincinnati, Ohio under the pastorate of her nephew, Pastor Donald Dixon, and First Lady Yvonne Dixon. She loved to attend church regardless of where it was located.
She leaves to cherish her memories daughter Carolyn (Anthony) Strickland; two sons, Emmit Terry, Jr., and Willie Terry, all of Chattanooga, TN; grandchildren: Clarissa (Demond) Shackelford, Juanita Strickland, Lolita (Bobby) Wiggs, Donte’ Terry, Heather Hicks, Brittany Terry, Shayla Stallion, Ciara Terry, Ania Ball, step-grandson, Jamal Gillespie; 17 great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandchild, first cousin LeRoy Fitzpatrick Whitehead, age 90, Cincinnati, Ohio; daughter, Carolyn (Anthony) Strickland; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends of Cincinnati, Ohio, Lanett, Alabama, West Point, GA, and Chattanooga, TN. She will be dearly missed.
Public viewing will be held from 2-4 p.m. on Friday, January 22, 2021, at the funeral home. A private funeral service will be held. Interment is in Forest Hills Cemetery.
Arrangements are by John P. Franklin Funeral Home, 1101 Dodds Avenue, 423-622-9995.