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A resolution honoring the life of Queen Mother Catherine Hayes Carr.
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WHEREAS, Queen Mother Catherine Hayes Carr passed away at 3:33 a.m. on January 19, 2022 at the age of 93; and
WHEREAS, Carr was born on a family farm in Russell County, Alabama and was the youngest of six siblings; and
WHEREAS, Carr’s parents, Gussie and Thomas Hayes, Sr., taught their children the value of hard work and self-reliance, and were faithful congregants of Providence Missionary Baptist Church in Late Seale, Alabama; and
WHEREAS, Carr attended Russell County’s Uchee Valley School and even raced in the Tuskegee Institute’s famous Tuskegee Relays as a young adult; and
WHEREAS, she went on to spend time in Phenix City, Alabama and Columbus, Georgia where she sang in a family gospel group that broadcasted from local radio stations such as WOKS, WGBA, and WDAK; and
WHEREAS, in 1964, Catherine married the love of her life, U.S. Army Sergeant Haywood Haskell Carr and they eventually made their way to Nashville, Tennessee in search of a permanent home for their family; and
WHEREAS, Catherine and Haywood first settled in South Nashville and became members of Kayne Avenue Baptist Church where they made many lifelong friends over the course of a nearly four-decade marriage; and
WHEREAS, Catherine and Haywood, who were largely self-educated people without a formal high school education between them, raised three successful children together: Dr. Greg Carr of Silver Spring, Maryland, past Chair of Afro-American Studies at Howard University; Rev. jeff obafemi carr of Nashville, Tennessee, Founder and Chief Spiritual Officer of The Infinity Fellowship Interfaith Gathering; and Gussie Carr Fuller of Missouri City, Texas, Partner in Paris Carr Enterprises, and
WHEREAS, Catherine Carr became a pillar among Sainted Elders in the Kayne Avenue Church family and served the church on the Missionary, Senior, and Mass Choirs, the Mothers’ Board, and represented the church in the Stones River District Association, The Sunday School Publishing Board Choir, and several National Baptist Conventions; and
WHEREAS, Carr was surrounded by a tight-knit community of friends and family, serving as a proud member of the Sunnyside Community Citizens Neighborhood Organization for decades, and Parent Teacher Associations for every school her three children attended as they matriculated through Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools; and
WHEREAS, the Carr home became a way station, sanctuary, confessional, and ritual destination for students from Tennessee State University, Fisk University, Austin Peay State University, The Ohio State University, Temple University, Meharry Medical College, Howard University, and many other institutions; and
WHEREAS, in the early 1990s, Carr was named one of five Queen Mothers of Nashville alongside Mother Burnece Walker Brunson, Zulee Ursery, Dorothy Gentry Smith, and Melba Sewell; and
WHEREAS, Carr joined fellow Queen Mothers from across the country and beyond and became an honored elder of The Association for The Study of Classical African Civilizations, and a trusted counselor and confidant for young people, business leaders, married couples, and families; and
WHEREAS, Queen Mother Catherine Hayes Carr was known for her life’s mission of serving others and preparing, educating, and supporting future generations; and
WHEREAS, it is fitting and proper that the Metropolitan Council honors and remembers the life and generosity of Queen Mother Catherine Hayes Carr.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT OF NASHVILLE AND DAVIDSON COUNTY:
Section 1. The Metropolitan Council hereby goes on record as honoring the life of Queen Mother Catherine Hayes Carr.
Section 2. This Resolution shall take effect from and after its adoption, the welfare of The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County requiring it.