Mary Virginia (nee Yoakum) Carr passed away on August 18, 2026 at the Alive Hospice facility in Murfreesboro, TN. Virginia was born on August 28, 1930 as the daughter of Carl and Francis (Sluss) Yoakum in Campbell County, Tennessee. She met and fell in love with her husband, Gene Carr while growing up in Sevier County. They married on October 30, 1951.
Gene and Virginia lived in Sausalito, CA during the early 1950’s where Gene served in the United States Army. Upon his honorable discharge, they moved back to East Tennessee where Gene resumed work for the Tennessee Farmers’ Cooperative (Co-op). In 1956, the Co-op moved him to LaVergne, TN where Gene and Virginia soon bought a house in Smyrna.
Virginia worked several years at Equitable Financial in downtown Nashville before starting a family. Gene and Virginia raised two sons, both graduates of Smyrna High School and the United States Military Academy at West Point. Both Gene and Virginia served the Lord faithfully for many years at Mt. View Baptist Church in Antioch. Virgina was a Sunday School teacher for nearly 50 years until her health prevented her from serving. She also worked as a bookkeeper at Thurman Francis Junior High School and Smyrna Middle School for approximately 10 years.
Virginia is preceded in death by her husband of over 69 years Gene Carr; her parents Carl and Francis Yoakum; her brothers Bud (and Doris) Yoakum, Pete (and Sue) Yoakum; and her infant son Timothy Gene Carr. She is survived by her two sisters: June Ward and Anita Hill, her two sons: Bryan Carr and his wife Monica and Daniel Carr and his wife Tara; her nine grandchildren: Tony Carr and his wife Tori, Ann Britton Norton and her husband Andrew, Sydney Davidson and her husband Isaiah, Rachelle Carr, Josiah Carr, Elijah Carr, Victoria Carr, Noel Carr, and Levi Carr. She is also survived by her five great-grandchildren: Hadley and Mac Carr, Reid and Olivia Norton, and Ezra Davidson.
A special “thank you” from the family to her longtime caregiver, Tina McGee. Without her, Mom’s last few years would have been much more difficult. We would also like to thank the staff at Azaela Court Assisted Living Facility and the staff at Alive Hospice, specifically Nurse Lynn and Nurse Michele.
Services will be held at Woodfin Funeral Home in Smyrna, TN Saturday, August 22nd at 10:00 AM, interment following at Mapleview Cemetery with her son Pastor Daniel Carr and Dr. David Outlaw of Mt. View Baptist Church officiating. Visitation will be Friday, August 21st 4:00-8:00 PM and Saturday August 22nd at 9:00 AM. Pall bearers will be Tony Carr, Josiah Carr, Elijah Carr, Levi Carr, Andrew Norton, Isaiah Davidson, Curtis Rowlett, Michael Lee, and Troy Arnold.
In lieu of flowers, please make an honorary donation to either her church – Mt. View Baptist Church, 12545 Old Hickory Blvd., Antioch, TN 37013 (or online at mtviewbaptist.net) OR to Daniel’s, church – Canaan Baptist Church, 5409 Baumgartner Road, St. Louis, MO 63129 (www.canaanstl.org).
