Francis Marion Rembert

Francis Marion Rembert, of Nashville, died at home on November 20, 2023. Though Frank had been undergoing treatment for cancer for a number of years, he was happy and productive for the great majority of that time. Mercifully, it was only during the last few weeks that his disease overtook him and caused him to feel really poorly.

Born December 12, 1936, to Robert Heriot and Dorothy Wooding Rembert, Frank grew up in Asheville, NC. It was in Asheville, at Lee Edwards High School, that he met his future wife, Barbara McKeown. Frank and Barbara married mere days before his graduation from The University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee in 1958. After Washington University Medical School, two years in the Army at Fort Benning, and further internship, residency, and fellowship in St. Louis, New Orleans, and Nashville, respectively, they wound up remaining in Nashville permanently.

As an internist with a specialty in hematology, Frank was in private practice for 25 years. From there he transitioned into staff positions with Baptist Convenient Care, Columbia Care, the VA, and Grifols Plasmapheresis Center. At one point, it was felt that he was in “retirement” because he only had three part-time jobs. Additionally, he served in the Army National Guard, retiring in 1998 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

Frank had numerous interests. A lifelong love of classical music was one, as he and Barbara were patrons of the Nashville Symphony for 50 years. He was a capable trombonist, and he was a charter member of the group Bone Therapy, an all-trombone ensemble that has played gigs throughout Middle Tennessee for years.

Another of his enthusiasms was fixing things. Whether a home repair, a plumbing job, an electrical project, even a TV repair (back when that was a thing), his first resort was always to try it himself. And he would generally succeed. There were no shortcuts, sometimes leading admittedly grateful family members to silently mutter, “Isn’t this good enough?”

Above all, Frank was devoted to his family. In addition to Barbara, he is survived by his son Mark (Polly), his daughter Sara Rembert Lundy (Chris), and his grandson Eric.

A MEMORIAL SERVICE WILL BE ARRANGED FOR FRANK IN THE SPRING.