Cornelia Turman Bain

Cornelia Turman Bain, age 85, passed away peacefully on July 14, 2021 at her home in Brentwood, TN after a long battle with Lewy Body Dementia.

Cornelia was born February 3, 1936 to Rex and Rachel (Vance) Turman in Woodbury, TN. At age seven, she moved with her family to Savannah, TN where she graduated from Central High School as valedictorian in 1953. After high school, she attended David Lipscomb College where she was editor of the school newspaper, The Babbler, and earned a degree in English in 1957. Cornelia began her twenty-two year teaching career at Maplewood High School in Nashville, TN followed by a stint at Phillips High School in Birmingham, AL and seventeen years at Decatur High School and Brookhaven Middle School in Decatur, AL.

After a nine-month courtship, Cornelia married Joe Keith Bain on August 7, 1960 in Savannah, TN. Beginning their married life in Birmingham, they enjoyed 60 wonderful years together. He was the love of her life. They had two children while in Birmingham, Laura and Keith. The family moved to Decatur, AL in 1963 where they spent the next 34 years. After retirement, Joe and Cornelia moved to Brentwood, TN to be near their grandchildren.

Cornelia loved her family, collecting antiques, reading books and newspapers, musical theater, college sports (especially the Lady Vols), traveling, collecting Tea Leaf ironstone china and her church. Over the years, she was an active member of the Savannah (TN) Church of Christ, the Grant Street Church of Christ in Decatur, AL, the Twickenham Church of Christ in Huntsville, AL and the Woodmont Hills Church of Christ in Nashville, TN. She especially loved spending time with her cousin Grace Henderson, her many friends in Decatur, and her friends in the Quest Bible class and Small Group at Woodmont Hills.

Cornelia was preceded in death by her parents, Rex and Rachel Turman, and her brothers, Elijah (Lige) Turman and Robert (Bob) Turman, her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Emory and Frankie Bain, and her brother-in-law, Jimmy Neal Bain. She is survived by her husband Joe Keith Bain, daughter Laura Bain Burkhart (Larry), son Keith Bain (Stephanie), grandchildren Caitlin Byrd (Patrick), Virginia Bain Sanders (Kevin), Madeline Burkhart, Grace Payton Bain, Jeb Bain, John Bain, great-grandchildren Olivia Blake Byrd and James Sanders, sister Coleen Bertsch (Marvin), and sisters-in-law Susan Turman, Sharon Turman and Kathy Bain.

The family would like to especially thank Kebeh Jones, who honored Cornelia with her loving care over the past two years. Kebeh’s bright smile and tireless efforts have been a source of strength and encouragement to the entire family. Thanks also to the staff of Guardian Hospice for their dedicated care.

Serving as Pallbearers are: Jeb Bain, John Bain, Russ Turman, Lige Turman, Jeremy Bain, Patrick Byrd, Kevin Sanders, and Jackson Sweatt.

Service and burial on Sunday, July 18, 2021 at Savannah, TN. Visitation starting at 2:00 PM with the service at 3:00 PM at Shackelford Funeral Directors, 450 Church Street in Savannah. Burial will follow at the Old Bain Cemetery at Mount Hermon Cemetery in Savannah, TN.

A Celebration of Life will be held Tuesday, July 20, 2021 at Nashville, TN. Visitation 10:00 AM until 12:00 PM at Woodmont Hills Church of Christ, 3710 Franklin Pike in Nashville, with the service beginning at 12:00 PM. Earl Lavender officiating.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Room in the Inn at roomintheinn.org or P.O. Box 25309, Nashville, TN 37202.