Lewis Grady Threadgill

1931 - 2018

Lewis Grady Threadgill

Memphis, tn

Dr. Lewis Grady Threadgill, of Memphis, TN peacefully left his earthly home on February 2, 2018. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, all the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22) were exemplified to all he met during his 86 years of life.

Grady was born on May 17, 1931 on Harts Bridge Road in Madison County, TN, son of the late John G. and Katie Lou (Latham) Threadgill. After his mother's early death in 1944, his family moved to Jackson, TN. He became a member of Hays Avenue Methodist Church, graduated from Jackson High School and studied at Lambuth College for two years. He graduated from University of Tennessee Memphis-Pharmacy School, and any free time there was spent hitchhiking rides to Jackson to court his sweetheart, Betty Hays. They were married on May 29, 1953 not too long before he was drafted into the US Army as a pharmacist. Grady and Betty moved as a couple to bases in Arkansas, Texas, and Missouri before he was dispatched to Germany; Betty stayed in Jackson due to pregnancy. Grady returned home when their son, John Lewis was stillborn on October 23, 1955. Together, they completed his tour of duty in Annapolis, MD.

Memphis became their permanent home in 1956. Grady worked at Highland Heights Pharmacy, then at Burgess Pharmacy in 1960, which became Threadgill Pharmacy in 1964. Due to his courteous hospitality, the soda fountain at 4308 Macon Rd. became a community gathering place for all ages who enjoyed shakes, ice cream, sodas, sandwiches, or coffee after visiting with Dr. Grady about prescriptions and other topics, or after paying their phone and MLG&W bills. His greetings, smiles and desire to help were always genuine... having "credit" customer accounts and up to 20 Rx home deliveries a day, some including a sandwich for older friends. For over 30 years, he hosted a group of orphanage children at the soda fountain as part of their Christmas in July. After closing the pharmacy in 1998, he continued serving some of his regular customers as their prescriptions were transferred to Fred's Pharmacy on Summer Ave, where he worked part time till 2008. Throughout these years he shared his photographic talents with many and experienced the joy of piloting small aircraft.

Grady was blessed to have two great loves in his life. A news story led Grady to contact and visit Daisy Gitchell Rickard in 2008 after being re-acquainted while caring for their first spouses who were patients in the same nursing home. Sparks flew, a whirlwind courtship ensued and with approval from both families and friends, they were married on October 24, 2009 at First Assembly of God, Cordova, TN. Together they sold their respective houses and created a new home filled with love and laughter and art. This marriage brought a new twinkle to Grady's eye and joy of family, comfort and companionship for the homestretch of this earthly life.

Through many decades, Dr. Threadgill served as usher at St. Luke's United Methodist Church, and as a Board member for Teen Challenge. He is survived by his wife, Daisy; her daughter, Denise (Mike) Leavell of Lebanon, TN; son, Dustin (Melynda) Rickard of Bartlett, TN; grandchildren, Jacob and Colton Rickard, Madison (Dex) Browning, Whitne Rickard; his cousins, Carolyn Monroe, Pat Johnson, Gaye (Bo) Deaton, of Jackson, TN; his nieces and nephews, Rosie Crawford of Millington, TN, Martha (Alan) Morris of Jackson, TN, Joe (Marsha) Watlington of Whitwell, TN, Mary (Rick) Sieger of Memphis, TN, John Andrew (Tina) Watlington of Acton, MA, and their families.

Visitation will be at 9:30 a.m., Wednesday, February 7, at Memphis Funeral Home, 5599 Poplar Avenue, with funeral immediately following at 11 a.m. Graveside service will be later that day at Hollywood Cemetery in Jackson, TN. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be sent to St. Luke's United Methodist Church in Memphis, TN or Teen Challenge.