Gracie Fishback

Gracie Sue Fishback was born on August 30, 1932, in Nashville, Tn.  Gracie was the daughter of the late Chester and Nannie Finney who started their family in Rutherford County, TN.  She was the youngest of her siblings, that have all preceded her in death:   Martha, Chester, Sallie, Walter, Dorothy, Josepha and a dear nephew, William E. Finney.  She also leaves to mourn a niece, who because of her parent’s untimely death was raised with her like a sister, Mildred Phillips.   

She attended school in the Nashville area and was a graduate of Haynes High School.  She grew up and experienced challenging times during her life that included racism, wars, depression, deaths, pandemics, segregation, and other hardships that the country faced.  Because of these challenges, to endure and keep moving forward, she turned her life over to God at an early age and participated as a member of Joy Church of Christ with her late husband, Roscoe W. Fishback, in Nashville, Tennessee.   Hardships were not her only experiences as she was able to participate in voting rights, integration, weddings, family births, graduations, baptisms, the first African American President and Vice President and other joyous and exciting events such as serving as a neighborhood Girl Scouts Chapter Leader.

Gracie was hardworking, family oriented and loved to cook.  She is known for her big family dinners, good cooking, sewing and ironing skills and worldwide traveling along with many other traits.  Her family will definitely miss this fellowship along with the experience and love that she always brought during the holidays and special occasions.   She was very persistent in ensuring and encouraging that all her children went to college because she knew the importance of education. These skills were carried over to her career, with special recognition, at Tennessee State University where all three of her children are graduates.  She was also a TSU retiree from the facilities department.  Her resilience, persistence, and perseverance demonstrated that we could do anything our hearts desired, and she didn’t allow the word “can’t” to be used because she knew it would only be a setback.  Her family remembers her values and strengths that continue to have great impact as they are shared with others.

Later in her retired life, she moved to Kissimmee, FL to enjoy the warmth of the sun and live out the remainder of her life.  She departed this life on Monday, May 6, 2024, in Kissimmee, Florida at the young age of 91.

She is survived by her family, children and adopted family: Dr. Mary (Lloyd) Vaughn Derouen, Thomasville, GA; Charles (Gwen) Robinson, Lebanon, TN; Gary (Laquetta) Fishback, Nashville, TN; Sheila (Mandel) Wells, Kissimmee, FL; Grandchildren: Richlyn Vaughn-Lee, Brent (Helena) Robinson, Keelan (Jordan) Robinson, Shelton (Andrea) Robinson, Lashanda Fishback, Antonio Fishback, the late Michael Fishback, Mandel Wells, Jr., Ayana Wells and Jamaal Wells. Great-grandchildren: Christian, Ethan, Kiana, Ayden, Jordan, Mila, Ayla and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and other beloved relatives and friends.  Special support friends include, but not limited to, Cedric Alston, Tera Baker Trofet, Alyssa Chatmon, Amber Shields, Brandon Fleming and Marie Lawrence and her staff at Golden Ages.