Mary Jane Rackard

Mary Jane Rudd Rackard, 77, of Nashville, Tennessee, passed away on February 1, 2022 after a brief battle with cancer.

Mary Jane was preceded in death by her parents, Harry J. Rudd and Ruth Thompson Rudd. She is survived by her husband of 53 years, Marvin W. Rackard; son Christopher and his wife Casey and son Steven; devoted grandchildren Noah, Walker, and Graysen; with an extended family of cousins and in-laws.

Mary Jane was born on May 24, 1944 in Manhattan, New York. After graduating from Hillsboro High School in 1962, she earned her Bachelor's Degree from Peabody College and Master's Degree in Education from MTSU with an additional plus 30 hours as a reading specialist. She was also inducted in 1982 as a member of the Middle Tennessee 1330 Chapter of the Phi Delta Kappa professional fraternity.

After graduation, she started her career at Central High School (Nashville) where she met her husband. She also worked at Hume-Fogg and Antioch High Schools, and later in her career served as an Area Guidance Counselor for Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools; after retiring once, she made the decision to return to work as an elementary school counselor for various schools until officially retiring as an educator with Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools with 50 years of teaching as an English teacher, performing as cheerleading sponsor, and working as a Guidance Counselor with a profound impact on many of her students' and colleagues' lives.

Mary Jane excelled at propping up and supporting not only her family but also the many friends and colleagues she made in her lifetime through the many highlights and difficulties of their lives. Whether that was providing guidance to friends and students, supporting her family through any trials and tribulations, or offering stewardship and counseling to those in need, she made it her mission to improve the lives of others. This mission also extended to her church family at Calvary United Methodist Church, where she served from the heart with a zealous and sincere devotion to the church, its congregation and to God.

She was an avid sports fan, especially passionate about UT football and basketball, and Tennessee Titans football teams, and greatly adored all animals, often contributing supplies to the Nashville Humane Association. Mary Jane was also a lifelong member of Calvary United Methodist Church serving as a Sunday School Superintendent, and a member of the P.E.O. Sisterhood Chapter P of Nashville.

A Memorial service will take place on Saturday, February 12, 2022 at 3:00 pm at Calvary United Methodist Church, 3701 Hillsboro Pike, Nashville TN 37215 with a family visitation preceding at 2:00 pm in the Masters Common.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that desired memorials may be made to either Calvary United Methodist Church or the Nashville Humane Association.

For your safety and the safety of others, the family requests that all attendees wear a well-fitting mask or facial covering.