Cordell Choate

Cordell Choate, age 87, passed away Friday, June 26, 2026 at Alive Hospice in Murfreesboro.

The family will visit with friends on Tuesday, June 30th from 4-7pm and again Wednesday, July 1st from 9-10am. A funeral service will be held immediately following at 10:00am at Heritage Funeral Home, 609 Bear Creek Pike, Columbia, TN 38401, with Kelly Campbell and Wayne Cornwell officiating. Burial will follow at Harpeth Hills Memory Gardens at 12:30pm. Heritage Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

Cordell was born June 6, 1939 to Mack and Clara Choate in Theta, TN. He graduated from Spring Hill High school as class president in 1957. He was in commercial insurance for many years and after retirement he worked for City Auto in Murfreesboro for several years. He also was owner of I Can’t Believe It’s Yogurt on West End Avenue in Nashville in the 1980s. Cordell loved to play the piano and played at several nursing homes to entertain the residents. He was a member of the church of Christ and served as a deacon at Rains Avenue in Nashville and an elder at Woodson Chapel in Nashville. In 2000, he and his wife Maie moved to Murfreesboro and began attending Highland Heights church of Christ and was a member there until his passing.

He is survived by his loving wife of 67 years, Maie Nash Choate of Murfreesboro, daughter Kimberly (Wayne) Cornwell of Murfreesboro, son Gregory (Rebecca) of Franklin. He is survived by sisters Barbara (Weldon) Adams, Judy Poynor (Wendell) Jump, Gladys (JB) West, Alma Norman and Phyllis (Enoch) George and brother-in-law Duck Hassell. He is survived by grandchildren Marlee Claire Cornwell, Nathaniel Boyd Cornwell, Bri Breyer, and Jackson Breyer, and one great-grandchild, Remi Breyer. He is survived by numerous nieces and nephews.

Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Mary Hassell and brothers-in-law Bobby Norman and David Poynor.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Highland Heights church of Christ Food Pantry at 785 S. Lowry Street, Smyrna, TN 37167.