Mary Jane (Adair) Tatum

Mary Jane Adair Tatum, age 74, resident of Somerville, Tennessee and wife of Murrell Tatum, departed this life Tuesday afternoon, February 9, 2021 at St. Francis Hospital in Bartlett.

Mary Jane was born April 16, 1946 in Fayette County, Tennessee, the daughter of the late Vodie Lee Adair and Doshie Ella Hoskins Adair. She graduated from Fayette County High School and was married February 25, 1966 to James Murrell Tatum. She was the director for Kiddy Day Care for many years before her retirement and was a member of Faith Church of God in Somerville. Mary Jane loved baking and made many wedding cakes throughout her life.

Mrs. Tatum is survived by her husband of almost 55 years, Murrell Tatum of Somerville, TN; two sisters, Margaret Ann McElroy of Rossville, TN and Carolyn Adair of Ripley, TN; her brother, Elton Adair of Coldwater, MS; seven grandchildren, Erica Tatum (Mario), Courtney McEwen (Matthew), Rodney Tatum (Krista), Sierra Barnes (Tyson), Candice Tatum, Emma Huddleston and Kristofer Bowers; and nine great-grandchildren, Mya Tatum, Madison Jones, Cameron Barnes, Caroline Barnes, Houston Tatum, Scout Tatum, Sofia Tatum, Sam McEwen and Jovie McEwen.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her two sons, Rodney DeWayne Tatum, who died July 16, 2011, and James Murrell Tatum, Jr., who died August 16, 2013.

Funeral Services for Mrs. Tatum were held at 2 P.M. Saturday, February 13, 2021, at the Peebles West Funeral Chapel at Oakland. The officiating ministers were Bro. Billy Adair and Bro. Timothy Carroll. Interment will follow in the Somerville City Cemetery.

Those honored to serve as pallbearers were Logan Kercheval, Spencer Kercheval, Aaron Blackwood, Charles Tatum, Donald Tatum and Jacob German. Honorary pallbearers were Hunter Moore, Brett Kercheval and Dylan Tatum.

The family requests that memorials be directed to LeBonheur Children’s Hospital Epilepsy Monitoring Unit, P.O. Box 41817, Memphis, TN 38174.