Margaret Ann Upton Blackshear was born on August 31, 1944, in Sweetwater, Tennessee, to Lex Upton, Jr. and Mildred Melton Upton. Known by her middle name, “Ann,” she was the second of eight children and the eldest daughter. In 1962, she graduated from High Point High School, where she was crowned homecoming queen her senior year. After graduating high school, she enrolled in Knoxville College, where she was initiated into the Gamma Eta Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.
Ann married Julian Blackshear in the fall of 1966 and graduated from Knoxville College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology in 1967. She and her husband eventually moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where Ann would continue her education. She earned a Ph.D. in Pharmacology in 1979 from Meharry Medical College and completed her postdoctoral studies at Vanderbilt University. After finishing her postdoctoral work, Ann worked for several years as a professor at Meharry. In 1987, she joined the faculty at Tennessee State University as a professor in the biology department. In this role, she conducted research in neuroscience, studying the effects of stimulant drugs on the brain. She published numerous scientific articles and lectured at many scientific conferences. She especially enjoyed mentoring biology and pre-med students at Tennessee State until her retirement in 2008.
Ann was also a devout member of Lee Chapel A.M.E. Church, where she served as a Sunday School teacher and a steward. She found particular joy in her service as past director of the Lee Chapel Learning Center, an after-school and summer learning program at the church. Ann was a life member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and had been a member of the Alpha Delta Omega Chapter. She had also been a member of The Links, Incorporated, Hendersonville Area Chapter, and Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated, Nashville Chapter.
In addition to her professional and community work, Ann was a gardener, a word-game aficionado and a stellar baker. Her caramel cakes were unrivaled, and her cookies at Christmas were always a favorite treat. Most importantly, she was always dedicated to her family. She was a wonderful daughter, sister, aunt, cousin, wife, mother and grandmother. Her husband and children appreciate her more than words can say.
She is preceded in death by her parents Lex and Mildred Upton, her brothers James “Butch” Upton and George Upton, and her sister Cynthia Upton. She is survived by her loving and devoted husband of 58 years, Julian “Jody” Blackshear, Jr.; son Jeffrey Blackshear, Sr. (Natasha); daughter Lillian Blackshear Peay (Clifton Peay, III); grandchildren Jeffrey Blackshear, Jr., Clifton “Leo” Peay, IV, and Julian Peay; brothers Ronald Upton (Almeda), Lester Upton (Valerie), and Dennis Upton (LaTanya); sister Audra Cox (Michael); and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.
