“Play it by ear.” That was Mary’s mantra in life.
Mary Tuohey, age 62, passed away peacefully in her home on Tuesday, July 26, 2022, in Columbia, Tennessee.
Mary was born on March 10, 1960, to the late Richard Kaufman and Doris Walls in Chestertown, Maryland.
Mary grew up in Queen Anne’s County in Maryland and where she would start her own family. Mary did everything by the seat of her pants as her family would say. She would rather do anything by instinct. While working in Maryland, she would work as a diner waitress for several years. At some point in her work as a waitress, there was someone with donkeys and someone had bet her she wouldn’t ride it around the parking lot. Man did she prove them wrong! She hopped up on that donkey and won that bet like a champion. Working in the diner, she would come to meet the love of her life, Dennis Tuohey. He was patron of the diner, and she was his waitress, and the rest is history. They would spend 34 wonderful years together and 30 of them as husband and wife,
In 1989, Mary and her family moved to Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. Here she would obtain her associate’s degree in Nursing. Later, 2001 she made the move to Memphis to work as a travel nurse at a local hospital. Well they liked her so much that they decided to keep Mary and she made a home for herself and Dennis. Memphis was home to them until the pandemic hit and then went to live in Savannah, Tennessee and finally made their way to Columbia where she would live her last few months in the care of Dennis.
Mary was a woman of different talents. She knew how to crochet and even knew how to play the accordion. She also loved being with her grandchildren. She enjoyed taking them to the Memphis Zoo and all around the city for them to explore. They were her pride and joy, and her family will miss her dearly.
Mary is preceded by her parents; and stepbrother: Toppy Hopkins.
Mary is survived by her loving husband: Dennis Tuohey; stepmother: Faye Kaufman; dedicated children: Amy (Broderick) Kenner, David (Wendy) Usilton, and Ricky (Rachel Whitlow) Usilton; stepchildren: Brian (Cheri) Tuohey and Dennis (Sherry)Tuohey, Jr; grandchildren: ZaKoria Walker, TaLya Walker, Esckobar (Makayla)Walker, Jaylee Walker, Desiree Walker, Jorja Walker, Wyatt Usilton, Ethan Tuohey, Emma Tuohey, Liam Tuohey; great granddaughter: Kalani Walker; sister: Kathryn (Buck) Kilburn; stepsiblings: Dawn Smith, Gail (Norman) Ervin, Karen Hopkins; nieces and nephews: Benjamin (Jill) Fisher, Amanda Begley, Shonda Gallaher, Nick (Brandi) Kilburn and many more.
