Mary Bedford Rogers Mims passed away at home on Sunday, January 15, 2017. A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, January 18, at 11:00 a.m. at First Baptist Church, 203 N. Dickson St, Tuscumbia, AL 35674. The Rev. Barrett Long will be officiating. The family will receive friends in the church fellowship hall following the service.
Mary is survived by her husband of 68 years, John Park Mims, M.D.; children Shelton Park Mims (Kim) of Huntsville, Rosemary Fisk (Howard Walthall) of Birmingham, and Emelyn Carlson (Terry) of Tuscaloosa; grandchildren Meredith Owen Mims, Gregory Mims Fisk (Martina), Daniel James Fisk, John Terry Carlson, Jr. (DeLaune), Christopher Norman Carlson, and Marianne Carlson Pearce (Taylor); great-grandson John Morrow Carlson; sister Charlotte Andrews of Chattanooga, and numerous beloved nieces and nephews. Niece Debra Grigsby of Florence brought special joy to her. She was preceded in death by her parents, Vance Clifton Rogers and Jimmie Bedford Rogers, and brothers Darwin Lee Rogers and Col. Richard Monroe Rogers.
Born on August 30, 1922 in Winchester, Tennessee, she moved to Chattanooga in her teens when her father was fortunate to secure a railroad job during the Depression.
She enrolled at Tennessee College for Women, was elected May Queen as part of the school’s valued tradition, and graduated in 1946 in the school’s last class before its merger with Belmont. She always enjoyed being among the very youngest attendees at her TCW reunions for over 50 years.
After graduation she worked in youth and children’s ministry at First Baptist of West Palm Beach, Florida, and First Baptist, Fort Payne, where she married John in 1948. Early married years included a year in the master’s of English program at Auburn University followed by a move to Birmingham for John’s medical school years. There she worked at Blue Cross Blue Shield as public relations associate and served as president of the Birmingham Professional Women’s Organization.
After a move to Nashville, where their children were born, the family moved to Tuscumbia in 1958.
Her creativity and wise counsel resulted in long-time volunteer service on The Foundation for Mental Health of the Shoals, the Shoals Baptist Association, and the Board of Trustees of Judson College. She especially enjoyed her membership in the Maude Lindsay Study Club. Perhaps no group enjoyed her original humor and insights more than the young women she worked with over the years at First Baptist, Tuscumbia.
Serving as pallbearers are her four grandsons, listed above, Taylor Pearce and Thomas McClure.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to the missionary house fund of First Baptist Church or to the charity of choice.
