Nancye McNeese
Nancye Igou Cunningham McNeese, age 92, of Hixson, Tennessee, heard the voice of Jesus calling her name to come home on Monday, November 30, 2015.
Nancye was born and raised in Chattanooga. She graduated from Central High School in 1941 and then on to McKenzie Business College. She worked at Wheeler Company and after her children were in school, she was secretary to Col. H. P. Dunlap at McCallie School.
Nancye married her high school sweetheart, Sanford Alexander Cunningham, Jr., in 1944. After Sanford passed in 1973, Nancye was introduced to her love, Thomas Howard McNeese, by a dear friend, Tommy Cox. They had a wonderful time of traveling and spending 34 years together before his passing in 2008.
Nancye was a loving and devoted wife, mother, nana, and a friend to many. She was a former member of Brainerd Baptist Church, and currently a member of Red Bank Baptist Church where she loved her Truth Seeker’s Sunday School Class of brothers and sisters in Christ. Her life was centered around her family and friends.
Nancye was preceded in death by her loving parents, Samuel Houston and Sarah Sells Igou; her sister and brother-in-law, Lorena Blevins and Allison Elrod; and nephew, Taylor Elrod.
Nancye is survived by her children, Sanford “Buddy” A. Cunningham, III, Melanie Ann Cunningham (Ron) Frere, and Ronald Houston (Sharon) Cunningham; her ten precious grandchildren; Sanford Alexander (Sandy) Cunningham, IV, Courtney Frere (Bryan) Arrington, Ron (Rose) Frere, Jr., Nancye Cunningham (Mike) Bennett, Thomas Dyer (Nicole) Cunningham, Matthew Allen Cunningham, Lara Cunningham, Chad Cunningham, Jenna Cunningham, Shane (Melody) Kelly; and her 14 darling great grands “as she called them”; her dear brother, William Houston Igou and sweet sister-in-law, Dortha Bryan Igou; special cousins, Mary Jane Sells (Dean) Heavener, Barbara Bingham, Jane Bennett and Betty Sue Alexander; and many nieces and nephews.
The family would like to say a special thank you to Avalon Hospice and nurses, Cindy, Jackie and Kim.
The family will receive friends from 10 a.m.-2:30 pm on Friday at the North Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home.
A celebration of life service will follow at 2:30 p.m. on Friday at the funeral home chapel with Reverend Bert Jones officiating. Burial will follow in Hamilton Memorial Gardens.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Red Bank Baptist Church Library and Building Fund, 4000 Dayton Blvd., Red Bank, TN 37415.
Arrangements are by the North Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory and Florist, 5401 Highway 153, Hixson. Please share your thoughts and memories at www.chattanooganorthchapel.com.
Nancye McNeese