Troy Allen Festervand Obituary
Dr. Troy Allen Festervand, age 75 of Murfreesboro, TN, passed away Thursday, March 2, 2023. A native of Vivian, LA, he was the son of the late C. M. and Melba Helen Westbook Festervand.
Troy is survived by his wife of 50 years, Carolyn Lee Festervand; children, Kelley Nihill and her husband Mike of Freeport, FL, Amy Bolton and her husband James of Smyrna, TN, James Festervand and his wife Nicki of Murfreesboro, TN, and John Festervand and his wife Shevaun of Ft. Collins, CO; grandchildren, Chelsea and Jacob Nihill, Abbigail Bolton, Samantha, James Ryan, Stella Jane, J.J., and Audrey Festervand; sisters, Sandra Dutton and her husband John of West Virginia and Cassie Renee Ahearn and her husband John of Texas.
Visitation will be held Tuesday, March 7, 2023, from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church. The funeral service will be held at 2:00 PM following the visitation with Dr. Jim Clardy and Rev. Tommy Ward officiating. The burial will follow in Evergreen Cemetery with G. C. Hixson, James Bolton, Mike Nihill, Jake Nihill, Chris Holloway, and David Schaler serving as pallbearers.
Dr. Troy was a faithful member of St. Mark’s United Methodist Church. Troy earned his undergraduate and Master’s degree from Stephen F. Austin in 1976 and 1977, and went on to complete his PHD from the University of Arkansas in 1980. From there Troy went on to have a decorated career in higher education for 10 years at the University of Mississippi and 28 years at Middle Tennessee State University, where he finished his career as the Associate Dean for Graduate and Executive Education and Professor of Marketing. Troy’s true passion in education was opening student’s eyes to the opportunities that education could provide, by giving them access to study abroad programs that allowed him to take his students and his family to parts of the world that they may not ever have had the opportunity to experience. He was an academic advisor to many students individually, but also to his son’s fraternity, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, where his service garnered him the distinction of becoming an honorary initiate and brother of so many young men that he had offered guidance.
During retirement, you could find Troy working on his 30-year backyard-landscaping project, fishing for crappie with his wife, kids, grandkids, or a random stranger that knows where the good spots are, taking his family out to eat, finding the best deals online, or holding a parlor talk with anyone that needed one whether you asked for it or not. Troy was a cancer survivor of 24 years. Troy was a world traveler. Troy was NOT a democrat. Troy was Coach. Troy was an educator of all things in life. Troy was the stranger at the restaurant who paid for your meal or popped into your booth to tell you had a beautiful family. Troy was the catalyst for the good fortune in so many people’s lives. He was everything to everyone who had the luck of being a part of his world. His wife, Carolyn, was the love of his life, his favorite travel partner, and the first face he cherished greeting in the morning. They would have celebrated their 50-year wedding anniversary this November, but have loved each other for 52 years.
Together, they built a home that welcomed all friends and family, and you didn’t need to call ahead. Unexpected visitors were his favorite. He loved his family more than anything, and he loved surprising them as a gesture of love. He was OPA.
An online guestbook for the Festervand family is available at www.woodfinchapel.com.
Woodfin Memorial Chapel. (615) 893-5151.
