A descendant of early Bedford County families, Elizabeth Rodgers was born in Shelbyville, Tennessee on October 2, 1930, and passed away peacefully on May 31, 2026. She was the daughter of the late Elizabeth Jarrell Litsey and Donald Wells Moore.
She was preceded in death by her beloved son, William Bryant Woosley, III, and is survived by her beloved son, Edward Jarrell Woosley, who cared for her so thoughtfully. She was married to her second husband, John Alden Rodgers, who preceded her in death, and is survived by her step-daughter, Lisa Thurmond and granddaughter, Lacey Thurmond of San Antonio, Texas.
Mrs. Rodgers attended public school in Shelbyville and was a graduate of Virginia Intermont College in Bristol, VA. She received her B.A. degree from George Peabody College and her M.S. degree from Vanderbilt University Medical School with a degree in Audiology and Speech Pathology in 1953, the first graduating class of this program. Upon graduation, she was employed by the Junior League Speech School in Augusta, Georgia. After returning to her home in Shelbyville, she married her first husband, the late William Bryant Woosley, Jr., and started the first speech program in the public schools system there.
Her interest in historic preservation led to her appointment to serve on the Tennessee Historical Commission. She was also one of 50 selected by the U. S. Department of the Interior to attend a program entitled, “Historic Preservation for Decision Makers” in Washington. Among other programs, she attended a three-week summer study sponsored jointly by the British and American National Trusts in England.
Upon moving to Nashville in 1978, she was employed as Preservationist at the Metro Historical Commission where she wrote nominations to the National Register of Historic Places and was the author of “A Brief History of Nashville”, a brochure produced for distribution by the Nashville Chamber of Commerce.
She also served as Coordinator for the Nashville Bicentennial Celebration. She was listed in Marquis Who’s Who in American Women, Who’s Who in the South and Southwest, 1980 and 1981. She later became the Executive Director for the E.A.R. (Education and Auditory Research) Foundation at Baptist Hospital which brought medical specialists for weeklong instruction in auditory matters.
She also arranged the first balloon race, the E.A.R. Balloon Classic, which was held at Maryland Farms. Next, she served as Development Director for The Hermitage, home of Andrew Jackson, in which she helped conclude a $5 million capital campaign.
A lover of horses, she along with her late husband, John Alden Rodgers, were members of the Hillsboro Hounds and enjoyed riding in the beautiful Cornersville countryside. As a lover of literature, she was a member of the first Thursday afternoon Book Club in Shelbyville and served on the Library Board there. She was also founder of the Monday Book Club in Nashville. She was a member of the Wednesday Weeders Garden Club, the Centennial Club, Cheekwood, the Symphony Guild and other civic and charitable organizations.
She deeply loved her family, her friends, her church and prayed for them and for our country daily. Special thanks are given to devoted assistants, Liz Burchfield, Barry Pigg, Jim and Nan Smith, Jessie Mallory and Jin Jeong. She was a member of Stephens Valley Church.
A graveside service, officiated by Rev. Jim Bachmann, will be held at Willow Mount Cemetery in Shelbyville on Wednesday, June 3, 2026 at 10 AM. Memorial gifts may be given to a charity of your choice.
Feldhaus-Gowen Smith Chapel in Shelbyville is in charge of arrangements.
