Mary Ann Carter Wells, 90, died peacefully on July 31, 2026, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Mary was born in her beloved Memphis, Tennessee, on December 16, 1935, to William Carter and Maria Carter, to whom she was always devoted. Mary and her two brothers, William Carter Jr. and Walter Carter, grew up in Memphis until the family relocated to Bartlett, Tennessee, during World War II and, later, to the St. Louis area, with Mary graduating from Webster Groves High School in 1953. It was there that Mary became a lifelong fan of the St. Louis Cardinals, a bird which will forever remind the family of her.

Always bright, caring, and curious, Mary fittingly earned a nursing scholarship to the University of Missouri, which she attended for one year until her father’s job took the family back to Memphis. As fate would have it, the return to her hometown brought Mary to her future husband, Herschel Wells, a funny, dashing young marine with impeccable posture, who was totally enamored with this beautiful and independent young woman. In later years, Mary affectionately teased him about losing his posture, while Herschel correctly remained adamant that she never lost her beauty. They wed on May 23, 1959, had two daughters, Dianne and Carol, and were married 63 years, until Herschel’s death in December of 2022.

The girls have many special memories of their mom, far too many to enumerate here, but which they will forever hold in their hearts. They fondly recall her baking brownies for them to take to school and birthday cakes for their parties. Whenever they did not feel well, she made her “special” cinnamon toast and tucked them in with butterfly kisses. When they were little, she made many of their clothes and pencil bags for their desks using a sewing machine housed in a specially made cabinet that was hand crafted by Herschel and his father, Herbert Wells, who was well known as a master carpenter. Later, Mary would pivot her sewing skills into cross stitch, making, among other things, Christmas tree ornaments for her grandchildren. Mary was an avid reader, and her deep love of books (especially mysteries) set a wonderful example for her girls, contributing in no small part to their own lifelong love of reading. Her daughters remember her reading in the living room or her bedroom chair, usually with a Diet Coke and an apple or cheese and crackers at her side.

After several years as a homemaker, Mary went back to work to help support the family while Herschel pursued his degree at the Memphis College of Art. Later, while working at the Danciger Equipment Company, she returned to college at Memphis State University, graduating summa cum laude and as a member of the Phi Beta Kappa honor society. These experiences, along with her lifelong cadre of female friends, played a key role in Mary’s development as a strong supporter of rights for women. Throughout her career, Mary worked in a variety of roles in business administration and human resources, holding positions at the Fogelman Executive Center, Thalhimer’s Department Store, the Baptist Medical Dental Fellowship, and the Southern College of Optometry, making many friends along the way.

For much of their lives, Mary and Herschel were active members of Second Baptist Church, a mission-focused community with historical progressive roots under the leadership of Dr. Brooks Ramsey, a Southern Baptist preacher who broke ranks and marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. When they joined the church, its pastor was Dr. James Hatley, who continued to foster the church’s mission focus. Mary held many roles at Second, including serving as a Sunday School teacher for children and for adults with disabilities who came to Second from Arlington Developmental Center. She was a children’s camp counselor for many years, and a leader of Girls in Action, a mission group in which her daughters were active. She also became one of the first women deacons at Second, despite Southern Baptist opposition to such ordinations. She served on a medical mission trip to Honduras, volunteered for years at the annual Royal Ambassadors Tri-State Camp-O-Ree, and tutored children at Brinkley Heights Baptist Church.

One of Mary’s great joys in life was her grandchildren. They enjoyed going to the movies, watching the 4th of July fireworks on the river, and taking trips to the zoo, museums, the mall, and Maywood (if you know, you know). They had special food favorites (not hard in Memphis), including Huey’s, a multitude of Memphis BBQ spots, and breakfast at Burger King. The grandchildren particularly cherish their memories of attending Memphis Tigers basketball games with their grandparents.

Mary and Herschel were avid supporters of the arts and were season ticket holders at Theatre Memphis and the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. Friends like Ann Bendall fondly remember attending these events with them, which usually included dinner before a performance, and a requisite visit to Shoney’s for strawberry pie after. Mary loved traveling, and she and Herschel had wonderful adventures together across Europe as well as the United States, in particular the great American West and the Northeast. Over the years, they traipsed all over NYC, enjoying plays on Broadway, visiting museums, and taking their grandchildren to beautiful parks. While they treasured those times together, they most especially enjoyed spending holidays with their daughters and grandchildren back home in Memphis.

In 2014, Mary and Herschel relocated to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to live closer to their daughters, a decision that took great courage as it meant leaving Memphis and so much of what they loved behind. At their new home, first in Pine Valley Retirement Community and then Heritage Healthcare & Rehabilitation, they made fast friends, enjoyed visits from family (including their beloved grand-dogs), and continued to cheer on their Memphis Tigers and UT Vols (with an occasional “Roll Tide” thrown in).

Mary always enjoyed summer thunderstorms, and her family finds great comfort knowing that in her last few moments, as if on cue, a storm rolled in, surrounding her with the comforting sounds of cooling rain and gentle thunder she loved so much. She was preceded in death by her husband, Herschel Alton Wells; her parents; and her brothers. She is survived by her daughters Carol Wells Allen (Bona Allen), and Dianne Calhoun Bragg; her grandchildren, Joshua Calhoun, Caleb Calhoun (Jordan), Jake Calhoun (Rosie), Charles ‘Chaz’ and Ann-Marie Sills, and Monty Allen (Jessica); five great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. Her legacy of love and service to others is one that lives on in them, for which they are eternally grateful.

A joint celebration of life service for both Mary and Herschel will be held at a later date at St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church in Dunwoody, Georgia. The family will provide details at that time. In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family asks that memorials be sent to Second Baptist Church on Walnut Grove Rd. https://www.2ndmemphis.org/giving, the Metropolitan Interfaith Association (MIFA) https://www.mifa.org/, or The Front Porch https://thefrontporchmemphis.org/, all in Memphis. The family wishes to thank Amedisys Hospice, and several caregivers at Pine Valley and Heritage Healthcare, especially Danielle, Takila, Henrietta, and Tracy, who helped care for both Mary and Herschel.