Mary  Childers

Obituary of Mary Fern Childers

Mary Fern Childers, 92, passed away peacefully in her sleep, of natural causes, on Monday, May 22, 2023. The wife of the late Joe F. Childers, Sr, Mary Fern was born December 10, 1930, to the late Mark Tackett and the late Martha Akers Tackett in Virgie, Kentucky.

Mary Fern is survived by her children, Marti Templeman of Frankfort, Susan (Gene) Strong of Frankfort, Joe (Denise Smith) F. Childers, Jr of Lexington, and Sarah (Stephen) Day of Lexington. She is also survived by grandchildren, Beth (Jeff) Brock, Chip (Elizabeth) Templeman, Martha (Rick) McCrary, Ryan (Cristy) Strong, Mark (Ashley) Strong, Matthew Childers, Nathan Childers, William (Ashley Gilliam) Childers, Rena Childers, Elizabeth Day, Austin (Emma) Day, and Collier Day; and her great grandchildren, Garrett Brock, Mattie Brock, Grace Templeman, Addison Templeman, Charlotte McCrary, Gabriella Strong, Veronica Strong, Emma Strong, Avery Strong, Anniston Strong, Taylor Childers, Makenzie Childers, Peyton Childers, Lexy Childers, and Noelle Childers.

In addition to her loving husband, Joe F. Childers, Sr, and her parents, Mark Tackett and Martha Akers Tackett, Mary Fern was preceded in death by four sisters and four brothers.

Mary Fern was a warm, loving mother and grandmother to four children, twelve grandchildren and fifteen great-grandchildren. She instilled Christian values in her family and taught them to be honest and caring in all their endeavors. Her insistence on these values will continue for generations. Mary Fern was the consummate homemaker. She kept an immaculate house, was a wonderful cook and never missed an opportunity to foster her children’s education. Her beloved husband of 63 years rose through the ranks at Commonwealth Life Insurance to become a senior vice president and this success was as much Mary Fern’s as Joe’s. He knew that his home life would be undertaken with great precision – that there would be a delicious meal and a loving, well-tended family waiting for him in the evenings. All of this was Mary Fern’s doing. And he was proud of her and bragged on her incessantly. She attended nearly every game her daughters were cheering and games her son was playing. After their children left home, Mary Fern’s desire to spread her joy and liveliness took many forms. She loved line dancing and performed at several Hillbilly Days in Pikeville with her group. She was a member of the First Baptist Church choir in Pikeville and performed in many church plays. She later was a member of Southern Baptist congregations in Hazard, LaGrange, and finally at Buck Run Baptist Church. At one point, during a particularly hectic line dancing season in Pikeville, which coincided with a church Easter pageant in which she was performing, she said that she couldn’t decide which to focus on – her dancing or her singing career! Of course, she managed both with great skill.

Mary Fern’s Funeral Service will be held Saturday, June 10, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. at Buck Run Baptist Church, 1950 Leestown Road, Frankfort, Kentucky, with Dr. Hershael York officiating. Entombment will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens, 3250 Versailles Road, Frankfort. Serving as pallbearers will be grandsons Chip Templeman, Ryan Strong, Mark Strong, William Childers, Austin Day, Collier Day, and great grandson Garrett Brock. Mary Fern’s granddaughters and great granddaughters will serve as honorary pallbearers. Visitation will be held on Saturday, June 10, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service, at the church.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests Memorial Contributions to Buck Run Baptist Church, 1950 Leestown Road, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601.

Saturday
10
June

Visitation

10:00 am - 11:00 am
Saturday, June 10, 2023
Buck Run Baptist Church
1950 Leestown Road
Frankfort, Kentucky, United States
Saturday
10
June

Funeral Service

11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Saturday, June 10, 2023
Buck Run Baptist Church
1950 Leestown Road
Frankfort, Kentucky, United States
Saturday
10
June

Burial

12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Saturday, June 10, 2023
Sunset Memorial Gardens
3250 Versailles Rd
Frankfort, Kentucky, United States
(502)695-3023
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