Mrs. Mary Eleanor "Mary Ellen" O'Neil Mack Binford, age 96, of Murfreesboro, TN passed away Thursday, July 5, 2018. She was born in Memphis, TN to the late Thomas J. O'Neil, Sr. and Ida M. Riggs O'Neil. Mrs. Binford was also preceded in death by her first husband, James R. Mack; second husband, Louis F. Binford; sons, Richard and Bruce Binford; sisters, Virginia Whitfield, Patricia Hare, and Rita O'Neil; and brother, Thomas J. O'Neil, Jr.

Mrs. Binford is survived by her brother, Charles J. O'Neil and his wife Mary Jo; grandchildren, Christopher Vaughn and his wife Lisa and Danielle Tafuri Zlatich; great-grandchildren, Victoria, Jacob, and Christian Vaughn, Mary Grace and Nicki Czapran, Gabrielle Spano, and Marcus Zlatich; sixteen nieces and nephews; dear friend, caregiver, and "daughter," LuAnn Tibbetts; and a host of dear friends who will miss her dearly. More than anything, she loved her family.

Mrs. Binford's first husband, Jim, was lost in the closing days of World War II. She and her second husband, Louis, moved to Murfreesboro in 1951 where they opened what would become Binford Motor Company. She was fortunate to have traveled extensively to places such as Ireland, Scotland, Wales, England, Switzerland, France, Italy, the Vatican, the Caribbean, and the Panama Canal. Above all, she loved Maui, Hawaii better than any place on Earth, visiting there many times. Mrs. Binford was a faithful member of St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church. She loved to give parties and entertain, earning the moniker of "Murfreesboro's Perl Mesta."

The family would like to thank the physicians, nurses, and staff at St. Thomas Rutherford Hospital and Alive Hospice for their care and compassion.

Memorials may be made to St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church or the charity of your choice in memory of Mrs. Binford.

Visitation will be Friday, July 6, 2018 from 4:00pm until 7:00pm at Woodfin Memorial Chapel and one hour prior to the Mass at St. Rose of Lima. A Rosary will be held Friday, July 6, 2018 at 7:00pm at Woodfin Memorial Chapel. Funeral Mass will be Saturday, July 7, 2018 at 1:00pm at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church. Rev. Joseph Breen and Rev. Stephen Brett will celebrate the Mass of the Resurrection. Burial will follow in Evergreen Cemetery.