Remembering Mary Francis Varnell Masingill

(Video notes: Luther was a very private person about his home life, but also a big fan of home cameras. So he left us with many of those movies from his wedding and early home life.  We share some of those now with you for a glimpse of the early life of Luther and Mary together.  These images have rarely been seen before. You’ll notice, even back then, he was a big ham on camera.)

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – The wife of radio Hall of Fame Broadcaster Luther Masingill has died.

The family of Mary Francis Varnell Masingill made the announcement this morning.

She was 85.

Her late husband, Luther, was a fixture on Chattanooga radio and WDEF-TV news 12 for almost 70 years.

Luther was inducted into the national radio hall of fame in 2012.

He died in 2014 at 92.

The Masingill’s were married for 57 years and had two children.

Funeral services for Mary Masingill will be on Wednesday at 1 p.m. at the East Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home in East Ridge.

Burial will follow in Chattanooga National Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 4-8 p.m. on Tuesday at the funeral home.

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Luther always chuckled about this photo. It was part of an ad shoot for Coca Cola when he was a young radio disc jockey.  The series was popular enough that everyone thought this was his wife.  It wasn’t. She was just a model brought in for the shoot.  As much as Luther was a in the public spotlight, Mary avoided it. You won’t see many public photos of them together, just at family and church events.

Of course, Luther often told jokes about “his first wife, Mary” (and only).

Here are some of the ones she had to endure over the years:

• I want them to bury my ashes at Hamilton Place Mall, so my wife will come and visit me.
• Someone stole my wallet, but I didn’t report it because the thief spent less than my wife did.
• She was so young when they got married, that he went on the honeymoon and she went back to class.