Emma Warden Ledbetter Clancy met her Heavenly Father on December 24, 2023.
Emma was born August 11, 1936, to Alton Ledbetter and Vassie Hobbs Ledbetter in Woodbury, Tennessee. She was the youngest of twelve children, all of whom preceded her in death (Willie Opal Stone, Pauline Bogle, Eula Mae Preston, Clairy B Ledbetter, Annie Bell Preston, Benjiman E Ledbetter, Myrtle Irene Gannon, Margaret Davenport, Clyde Bratten Ledbetter, Alice Dean Gannon, James Hubert Ledbetter).
On April 16, 1960, she married Elbert Ray Clancy, the love of her life. Six years later, they had their only child, Donna. Emma moved to Nashville from her hometown of Woodbury, Tennessee to begin her career. During her lifetime, she worked mostly as a bookkeeper and spent many years with Woodbine Auto Parts and Orkin Pest Control.
Personally, Emma was a caretaker at heart. She loved being a part of a large family and over the years she was always there to provide a meal, a place to stay and an ear to listen to family, neighbors, and friends. To those who loved her, she was well known for her delicious meals, biscuits, coconut cakes, and Christmas treats. She also loved to garden.
In the later years of her life, she was a full-time caregiver to Ray, who suffered from dementia and cancer. Emma loved being a part of a big family, kept up with what everyone was doing through social media and phone conversations, and would light up at the mention of a visit from Sue, Roberta, Ron and Karen and many others. She was a fighter and outlived all of the doctors’ expectations following her illness.
Emma and Ray’s 64-year love story ended with them side by side and leaving this earth to be with Jesus on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, just a few hours apart.
They loved dearly and will be greatly missed by John and Donna Trainer, Hannah and Tom Coogan, Matthew Trainer and Maddie Younginer, sweet baby Dawson Coogan, along with other surviving family members.
They defied all odds to meet you Baby D, and lived to see you turn 11 months old. Andrea Bass Carrol, they loved you dearly. Andrea, Shane, Shelby and Baily were “chosen family”. Other chosen family include the Gottshalls, Shouses, Valeks and many others.
Emma and Ray brought people into their home for nights, weeks, even months. They just simply LOVED. If you knew them, you knew that they loved fiercely and showed this through generosity and service. They were a true example of “being the hands and feet of Jesus.”
Visitation with family will be December 30, 2023, from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. with a service to follow at 3:00 p.m. at Woodbine Funeral Home, Hickory Chapel, 5852 Nolensville Road. https://www.woodbinefuneralhome.com
For more obituaries visit https://davidsoncountysource.com/obituaries/
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