Obit – Mr. Ernest Mahaney
Longtime Town of Carthage employee and South Carthage resident, Mr. Ernest Mahaney transitioned from his earthly journey to his heavenly walk at 3:35 a.m. Friday morning August 9, 2024 at the Quality Center for Rehabilitation in Lebanon where he was admitted April 4, 2024 for therapy following hip surgery. He was under the care of Gentiva Hospice.
Bro. Ray Gilder officiated at the 3 p.m. Sunday afternoon August 11, 2024 funeral services from the Carthage Chapel of Sanderson Funeral Home. David Haynes delivered the eulogy. Burial was beside Mr. Mahaney’s wife Sadie and near their daughter Ernestine in the Garden of the Cross at the Smith County Memorial Gardens.
In Hartsville on January 26,1957, he was united in marriage to Buffalo Valley Community native, the former Sadie Sue Williams, who preceded him in death on February 26, 2016 at the age of 74 following just over fifty-nine years of marriage. The wedding ceremony was performed by then Trousdale County Judge, the late Etheridge Davis “E. J.” Parker Sr.
Mr. and Mrs. Mahaney were preceded in death by a daughter, Ernestine Mahaney Long who died January 24, 1991 at the age of 30.
He was born Ernest T. Mahaney in the Andy Hollow in the Elmwood Community on April 24, 1939 and was the son of the late Pink Edward Mahaney Sr. who died at the age of 89 on July 15, 1980 and Sarah Elizabeth “Lizzie” Mahaney who died at the age of 88 on February 21, 1993.
Mr. Mahaney was one of thirteen children and the last surviving of the thirteen and nine of his full sisters and brothers preceding him in death were Ethel Mahaney Paris Kelley who died February 11, 2024 at the age of 97, Willard Mahaney, Georgia Dee Mahaney Hubbard who died at the age of 25 on June 10, 1957, Opal Mahaney Duke who died at the age of 68 on September 21, 2005, Ruby Mahaney Meadows who died February 11, 2008 at the age of 78, Frank Wilson Mahaney who died March 12, 1999 at the age of 54, Robert Key Mahaney who died September 11, 1993 at the age of 46, Pink Edward “Red Bone” Mahaney Jr. who died June 19, 2014 at the age of 79 and Mitchell Mahaney who died July 22, 1951 at the age of 26 as a result of drowning.
Also preceding him in death were three half siblings, Kelly Baugh Mahaney who died at the age of 10 from scarlet fever on September 14, 1920, John Columbus Mahaney who died at the age of 65 on December 26, 1968, and Stella Mai Mahaney Young who died at the age of 80 on July 17, 1995.
The mother of Mr. Mahaney’s three oldest half siblings was Mrs. Clemmie Lawson Mahaney who died in 1918 at the age of 29.
Mr. Mahaney first attended the Rewoda (Read, Wooten, Davis) Elementary School in South Carthage through the eighth grade and then attended Smith County High School through the eleventh grade.
He was of the Missionary Baptist faith and a member of the Brush Creek Missionary Baptist Church and following the death of his wife often attended the Gordonsville First Baptist Church with his family.
Mr. Mahaney was an accomplished brick and block mason by trade.
Surviving are his two daughters, Deborah Mahaney Huddleston and husband James of Gordonsville, Connie Mahaney Hamlett and husband Todd of the Riddleton Community; three grandchildren, Stacy Woodard and wife Brittany of Knoxville, Melissa Woodard Baker and fiancée Jaysun Rymer of Murfreesboro, Shawn Comstock and wife Traci of Carthage; seventeen great-grandchildren.
SANDERSON of CARTHAGE
