Rev. Teresa M. Oglesby

Rev. Teresa Middlebrook Oglesby, daughter of the late James Franklin and Carrie Mae Middlebrook, was born on January 7, 1959, in Knoxville, Tennessee. On Wednesday, May 24, 2023, Heaven opened its gates and Rev. Teresa Middlebrook Oglesby was called home for an eternal life of peace, free from sorrow and pain.

At an early age, Rev.Oglesby accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as her personal Savior. Her children and grandchildren were the pride of her life. She met and made numerous friends in her ministry. She felt fulfilled while helping others, ministering to everyone, reading, writing, and praying.

 She was a woman who was always making deposits in other people's lives, by ministering to them, listening to them, praying for them, answering those middle-of-night calls, going to visit people in hospitals, detention centers, prisons, and transitional homes...always going the extra mile to help individuals get what they need, encouraging them, praying for them, being a constant presence in their lives and genuinely living the definition of an honest servant.

Rev. Oglesby was a distinguished alumnus of Fulton High and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, having earned a Bachelor's degree in Business Management. She also holds a Master's degree in Divinity from Hood Seminary and was pursuing a Doctorate degree from Duke University. She served as a Project Manager at the Tennessee Valley Authority. She was an esteemed member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.

She served her Lord through ministry as the Pastor of Price Memorial AME Zion Church located in Cleveland, TN. But her ministry went beyond the church, as she served as a Chaplain at the University of Tennessee Medical Center and taught classes, and served as a chaplain at Morgan County Correctional Facilities.

Rev. Oglesby was the founder of the House of Refugee & Zion Enrichment Center, which provided transitional housing for men who have been released from correctional facilities. The center offered crucial support to these individuals, including classes on drug addiction, alcoholism, and addictive behavioral disorders. Furthermore, the center provided tutoring services to those who are residing at the transitional home and striving to obtain their GED. It also provided a summer feeding program, tutoring classes, and medical clinics that offered access to medical professionals. Also extending her kindness and generosity to incarcerated individuals during the holiday season by providing them with meals and donating 2,000 cards for them to give to their loved ones. Her contributions to society are genuinely admirable, and they serve as an inspiration to many.

Rev. Teresa Middlebrook Oglesby, is preceded in death by a loving sibling: Jamie Lynn Middlebrook.

Rev. Oglesby leaves to cherish her memories: her daughter, Katrina (Gary) Porter, Chelsie (William “Yogi”) Anderson; Grandchildren: Armani and Imani Nichols. Kingston, Kendrick, Durajia, Jasmon, William “Bill”, and Anyri Anderson. Siblings: Glenda (Stan) Fleming, Charles (Brenda) Middlebrook, Anthony (Samantha) Middlebrook, Frankie (Gary) Yowell, Terry (Mac) Coleman, Angela (Robert) Blance, and Christopher Middlebrook. Devoted friends; Ms. Caroline Scott, Ms. Mildred Summey, Ms. Wawana Walker, Ms. Janet Parks, Momma Pat, Apostle Jerry Upton, Rev. Doc. Willa Estell, Rev. Geraldine Pippen, and Pastor Georgia Ealy. A host of nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends too numerous to name. Special Thanks: Vanderbilt Oncology and UT Oncology group.

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