Mary Edna Scates

Funeral services for Mrs. Scates are Monday, November 24, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at Brummitt McKenzie Funeral Home. The family will receive friends on Sunday night, November 23, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. -8:00 p.m. and Monday morning, 10:00 a.m. until service time. Interment will follow at Union Academy Baptist Church in Big Buck, TN. Ms. Mary Edna (McCaig) Scates,73, of McKenzie (Big Buck), TN, peacefully passed from this life on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, at Americare Dogwood Pointe Memory Care in Milan, TN.
Ms. Mary was born to the late William Otto McCaig and Hazel (Freeman) McCaig from Dyer, TN, on November 15, 1952.
Ms. Mary was a graduate of Dyer High School in the year of 1971. Ms. Mary worked for several years at ITT in Milan, TN before starting a career in childcare services. These services began in her home, but her legacy began in McLemoresville, TN, at Happy Times Daycare Center. She touched many generations of children in the West Carroll Community. Children were also blessed by her teaching of God's Word at First Baptist Church in Trezevant, where she was a member for many years. She loved children and Jesus and did her best to sow the seed for those she was in contact with.
Along with her parents, she is preceded in death by her husband, David Scates, three sisters, Dorothy (McCaig) Slaughter, Judy McCaig, and Nancy (McCaig) Carson, two nephews, David Abercrombie and Randy Abercrombie and a niece, Teri (McCaig) Williams.
David and Mary were joined in Holy Matrimony on June 30, 1973, and Mary stepped in to help raise a 5 year old little girl, Teressia (Doug) Tidwell. 7 years later on November 29, 1980, she had a daughter of her own, and Teressia got her own little sister, Melanie (TJ) Herndon. This love further brought Mary's surviving grandchildren, Hunter "Drake" Herndon, David (Krista) Hensley, Brooke (Cody) Gullett, and Melanie Tidwell. Ms. Mary's great-grandchildren are Ridgelynn Hensley, Brooxlea Hensley, Elijah Gullett, Maycee Gullett, Kilee Tidwell and Hayden Wingo.
Ms. Mary is also survived by her sister, Charlotte (McCaig) Kizer and two brothers, Ronnie (Mary) McCaig and Terry Wayne (Ann) McCaig and several nieces and nephews. A special thanks goes out to all the nurses, aids, and staff at Americare Dogwood Pointe Memory Care and AseraCare Hospice for their love and care for Mom during this journey. Mom loved each and every one of you and I will be forever thankful for your kind service to her and our family.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her memory to First Baptist Church, Trezevant, TN for VBS supplies and to The McKenzie Church of Christ for well drilling in Africa.