Mable Inman Delk

Heaven has called home its favorite left-handed cheerleader from Pulaski, TN. Mable Jeanette Inman Delk was a native of Giles County, TN born on June 8, 1938, to the late Cleo and Lillian Riggins Inman. She grew up stripping tobacco and picking cotton.

She attended Campbellsville High School where she excelled in cheerleading. She was voted Prettiest, Best All Round, and Best Groomed in the class of 1956. She married the love of her life, Joe H. Delk, June 14, 1960. They chose to make Columbia their home. They became members of Riverside Church of Christ (later, Northview Church of Christ.) They eventually joined Graymere Church of Christ in 2002, where they both worshipped until their passings. They were one of the founding families of Columbia Academy as it opened as a Christian school in 1979 on the former Columbia Military Academy campus.

Mable studied interior decorating at Columbia State Community College. She later became active in with King’s Daughters School Good Cheer Circle. She became an integral part of the Columbia Academy Associates, serving as president from 1983 – 1984. She loved making her own clothes, crocheting, studying her hummingbirds and was an experienced canner of fruits and vegetables. She baked the best pecan pies for the dove shoots Joe would host, at their farm.

She worked as church secretary at Riverside Church of Christ while her daughters were in school, though she eventually joined Joe at the pharmacy. She became bookkeeper and store manager for Delk Pharmacy, then later for Rx Compound Centre. Mable was a survivor of breast cancer and worked with Relay for Life several years in a row.

Mable and Joe were experienced world travelers, but Mable loved supporting Joe’s love for NASCAR. She became a big Sterling Marlin fan since Joe had attended high school with his mom, but she drew the line at wearing any merchandising with Coors Light (Sterling’s sponsor for a time), on it. Their RV made many trips to the tracks around the south and northeastern area of the US.

The couple made several mission trips to Panama which they both cherished, the work and the people. The RV came in handy for the mission trip to MS after Katrina. They were married 65 years as of Joe’s passing on February 23, 2026. Mable and Joe grew to love Jenny Bockarie and Marlene Balize, their primary sitters who did such fine work with their memory care.

Mable is survived by her two daughters, Pamela Jo Delk of Columbia and Amy Jeanette Delk of Nashville, TN, sister Audrey (JW) Scott; brother, Larry (Jean) Inman; brother-in-law Hubert Hickman; sister-in-law Larissa Delk and several nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Joe Hoover Delk, sister Paulette (Hubert) Hickman, sister, Evelyn (Wayne) Smith, brother-in-law J. W. Scott, brother-in-law Wayne Smith, brother-in-law John A. (Alice) Delk, sister-in-law Mary (Dudley) Hill and brother-in-law Charles (Larissa) Delk.

Funeral services will be conducted Sunday, September 27, 2026 at 2:30 PM at Graymere Church of Christ with John Vaughan officiating. Entombment will follow in Polk Memorial Gardens Mausoleum. The family will visit with friends Sunday from 12:30 PM till 2:30 PM at Graymere Church of Christ. The family suggests memorials can be made to Columbia Academy, 1101 W 7th St, Columbia, TN, 38401. Online condolences may be extended at www.oakesandnichols.com.

Pallbearers will be Tim Davis, Sloan Delk, Anderson Hill, John Hill, Chris Hill, Tony Scott, Jarrett Scott, Barry Hickman, Larry Hickman, and Al Thomas.

Honorary Pallbearers will include Steve Hill, James Butler, Mike Hill, Cory Primm, Joe Whitehead, Brad Smith, Hunter Smith, David Baine, Nelson Baine, Douglas Taylor, Eric Previti, Randy Cornwell, and the elders of Northview Church of Christ and Graymere Church of Christ.