Charles D. Foresythe

Charles Dee Foresythe (Charlie) passed away on 2/25/2016 after a brief illness. Charlie was born to Mattie Maurine and George Tolbert Foresyth of Alamo, TN in Crockett County, on March 11, 1927. He received his High School diploma from Alamo High School and went to U.T. Martin to begin college.

Charlie volunteered to join the Navy in WWII in Jan. 1945, as a radio man; petty officer 3rd class; rm3 on board the Amphibious Corps- Flotilla22: LCI-689. His tour took him from Hawaii to the Yang-see river and back again. After returning, Charlie began work with Commercial Credit in Memphis, TN. There he worked with Henry McClure who introduced him to his future wife, Glenna Sue McClure, Henry’s sister. They were married on July 17, 1949 in Mountain Home AR. They lived in Memphis, Conway, AR and in Tupelo MS, where Charlie became a Vice President for the Bank of Tupelo. He simultaneously attended the University of Virginia’s Graduate School of Consumer Banking where he completed his degree. At the Bank of Tupelo, he created a marketing logo of a tree that is still used on bank signs today by Bancorp South (previously the Bank of Tupelo). Additionally, in Tupelo, Charlie was a Boy Scout Master and attended Calvary Baptist church with Glenna and their two children, Brad and Ann.

In 1965, Charlie was asked to come to Selmer, TN to create a new bank, First National Bank of Selmer, as its new President. They moved to Selmer in 1966 and Charlie became an active community member serving in positions of leadership with many organizations: Union University Board, Selmer Rotarians, Selmer Chamber of Commerce, McNairy County Hospital Board, First Baptist Church Deacon Emeritus, Rotary Club and more. In the 1980’s, Charlie joined with other bank presidents in West Tennessee and formed a bank holding company known as Volunteer Bank Shares which included First National Bank. This organization thrived and Bancorp South bought Volunteer Bank Shares. Then, Charlie retired in 1990 and volunteered in many civic organizations.

Charlie was a great kidder and always enjoyed making someone smile. He had many personal interests, such as family and family gatherings, bird hunting and fishing, boating, computers, investments, politics, family genealogy, and his pet Pug-Diesel. Charlie and Glenna with friends often traveled across the U.S. exploring this nation together from one end to the other. During the last several years, Charlie with Glenna moved to Brookdale Jackson Oaks Community where they made many friends. Charlie passed away peacefully at Jackson Oaks, attended by family.

Charlie was a loving and devoted son, brother, husband, father and friend. He was preceded in death by his wife Glenna on May 8, 2013. He is survived by his son Brad Foresythe of Atlanta GA; daughter Ann Collins of Selmer TN; granddaughter Rebecca Colio, wife of Staff Sgt. Jesse Colio, U.S.M.C. of Fort Lee, VA; two great grandsons, Gage and Sladen Colio; brother W. D. Foresyth of Mt. Juliet, TN; a sister-in-law, Martha McClure of Malvern, AR, and a host of nieces, nephews and cousins.