Obituary of Elwyn Flury

Mary Elwyn Reid Flury Dec. 1, 1919 -- June 12, 2021 Psalm 37:3-4 -- Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the Lord and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Mary Elwyn Reid Flury, age 101, of Knoxville, TN, peacefully passed away June 12, 2021, at Tennova Turkey Creek with her daughter at her bedside. Born Dec. 1, 1919, in Cauthron, Arkansas, where her parents were serving as church planters under the home mission board of the Methodist Presbyterian Church, she was the third of eight children. Her family moved frequently and lived in many different communities in Tennessee fulfilling the calling of a Methodist pastor’s family, but she claimed Unionville, TN, in Bedford County as her home because both of her parents hailed from there. She worked in a shoe factory and as a governess but became a teacher graduating first from Martin College in Pulaski, TN and later from MTSU in Murfreesboro. She came to Grundy County in the early 1950s when her father accepted a call to preach in Palmer. She taught elementary grades at Shook School throughout the 1950s. She met her future husband Sammy Flury in Tracy City and made her home there for 60 years. Elwyn was a person who cared well for others, including her special needs son and her husband and mother when they were in failing health. Elwyn was active with the Methodist women’s groups and FCE clubs through the extension service. Both were a blessing to her for friendships and opportunities to develop her artistic skills. She took joy in her many hobbies (painting, ceramics, china painting, wood carving, quilting, canning, sewing, doll making, chair caning, crocheting, rock painting, Japanese temari ball art) and faithfully used her knitting skills to bless others with gifts of her lovingly knitted dishcloths. Although she lived the last 8 years in Knoxville, she remained a member of Tracy City First United Methodist Church. Elwyn is preceded in death by her parents, Robert Crawford and Margaret Eads Reid; her husband, Sammy Louis Flury; siblings, Winston Reid, Dorothy Titsworth, Gerald Reid, Clarice Nelson, Robert Reid and Jean Clements; and her son, Louis Reid Flury. Elwyn is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Margaret and Eric Manneschmidt of Knoxville, TN and 6 grandchildren and spouses, Noah and Julie Manneschmidt of Fullerton, CA, Ellen and Tyrone Hurston of Philadelphia, PA, Mary Manneschmidt (fiance Josh Barnacz) of Knoxville, Amos Manneschmidt of Knoxville, Ward Manneschmidt, of Huntsville, AL and John Manneschmidt of Huntsville, AL; one brother, William E. Reid of Nashville, TN, and many nieces, nephews, and friends. The family will receive friends June 18 from 4-8 p.m. at the Cumberland Funeral Home in Tracy City. The Rev. Danny Coffelt will conduct a memorial service at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 19 at Tracy City First United Methodist Church with burial to follow in City Cemetery. Memorials may be made to The First United Methodist Church of Tracy City or to a charity of your choice.