Charles “Blossom” Donnelly passed away on Sunday, May 8, 2022, at the age of 68 in his hometown of Nashville, Tennessee.
Blossom was born in Nashville to Charles Edward “Charlie” and Alice Marie Donnelly in 1953. He grew up in the Nashville area and graduated from Pearl High School in 1972.
As a child, Blossom dreamed of working with NASCAR and fulfilled this dream when he became a NASCAR official at the age of 16. He worked for NASCAR for several years, and worked many races such as the NASCAR Truck Race in Atlanta in 1979, which appeared in the movie Smokey and the Bandit and worked the 4 year Winston No Bull Tour in 1998.
He also officiated races with Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway until his last breath, leaving a legacy that the racing world will carry with them forever. He was awarded with the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway Lifelong Dedication award in 2017 and was a nominee for the Speedway’s hall of fame in 2021.
Blossom was a member of The Fiddlers Grove Blacksmiths, serving as president of the club for several years and gaining several awards like Blacksmith of the year in 2015. He was also a proud member of the Appalachian Area Chapter of Blacksmiths.
Blossom was well known by many as Santa Claus. He volunteered for several local community events and brought smiles to children and their families every year. He once quoted that being Santa “pays more than just money.”
Blossom lived the life only some could dream of, with too many stories and memories to write on one page. He was a friend of many, and he could not walk into any location without someone yelling his name. There were so many people over the years to remember that at times he walked away and laughed because he didn’t know who he had just talked to. If you were ever lucky enough to spend 5 minutes with Blossom, you were hooked with a friend for life.
His battle with medical issues in recent years showed his courage in facing life challenges with a smile. Despite the pain, Blossom came out a hero and stayed strong until the end.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Charles Edward “Charlie” and Alice Marie Donnelly.
He is survived by son, Charles Louis (Monica) Donnelly and grandkids, Hunter Thomas Ward, Jordan Ryan Myers, Charles Ethan Donnelly, Madison Gayle Myers, Hannah Paige Myers, Chailyn Faye Donnelly, Angelina Francis Donnelly, and Rylan Louis Donnelly. He is also survived by his sister, Carolyn (Eddie) Carter; niece, Emily (Jonathan) Kraft; and great-niece, Alice Olivia Kraft.
Funeral services will be conducted Saturday, May 14, 2022 at 1:30 p.m. at Woodbine Funeral Home, Hickory Chapel by Bro. Joe Nelms. Interment Woodlawn Cemetery. Visitation will be Friday, May 13, 2022 from 4-8 p.m. and Saturday, May 14, 2022 from 12-1:30 p.m. at Woodbine Funeral Home, Hickory Chapel, 615-331-1952. https://www.woodbinefuneralhome.com
For more obituaries visit https://davidsoncountysource.com/obituaries/
