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5/29/15 —- Leslie Thomas Sweeney
During 86 years of living, Leslie Thomas Sweeney never tired of serving or working.
He was born in Shelbyville, Tennessee, but moved to Tullahoma as a small boy. By the age of 6, Mr. Sweeney already had his first job. His father had died, and although he had older siblings, Mr. Sweeney wanted to help his family. He took a job delivering the Tullahoma News, and for almost the next 80 years, the Tennessee native with an entrepreneurial spirit served his God, country and family.
His commitment to Christ was evident by his faithful attendance at Grundy Street Church of Christ until his illness, his loving devotion as a God-fearing husband to his wife of 62 years, Sadie Sanders Sweeney, and his decision to educate his children, Keith and Sandra, in Christian schools and colleges.
Mr. Sweeney graduated from Tullahoma High School where classmates called him “Baby” because he was the youngest of the sons in his family. It was clearly an endearment that fit his birth order and nothing else. As a patriotic man, he enlisted in the United States Air Force and served his country during the Korean War. After his military career, Mr. Sweeney attended Middle Tennessee State College before starting his career as a State Farm Insurance agent in Nashville. Later, he owned an insurance agency. His work ethic, entrepreneurial spirit and sharp acumen with numbers led Mr. Sweeney to launch a new career as a property owner in Nashville, before later opening a nursery in Tullahoma. The fighting spirit he’d demonstrated throughout his life served Mr. Sweeney well in his recovery from a serious tractor accident and when he beat both lung and colon cancer.
Since 2012, Mr. Sweeney had lived at Bailey Manor in Manchester wrestling with dementia and the challenges of Alzheimer’s disease. On May 25, this servant, veteran, husband, father, fighter, entrepreneur, salesman and faithful Christian died peacefully. His work had been done.
Mr. Sweeney is preceded in death by his parents, Grady Jones Sweeney and Lena Bell Tankersley Sweeney; two brothers, Theo and James Sweeney; and one sister, Juanita Caskey.
He’s missed and loved by wife Sadie Sanders Sweeney of Tullahoma; son Keith (Elaine) Sweeney; daughter Sandra Sweeney Bemis (Rick) and grandchildren Christopher, Adam and Slater.
Visitation will be held on Friday, May 29th, 2015 from 1:00-3:00 pm at Kilgore Funeral Home with the funeral service to immediately follow at 3:00 pm in the Kilgore Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Philip Davis officiating.
Burial will follow at Maplewood Cemetery in Tullahoma.
For those who wish, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 201 West Lincoln Street, Tullahoma, Tennessee 37388.
Kilgore Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
5/29/15 —- Donald Hunter Bills
Donald Hunter Bills, was born on December 5th, 1931 and died at his home in Normandy, Tennessee on May 25th, 2015.
He was preceded in death by his parents Newton Hunter Bills and Ruby Lee Crutcher Bills; and one grandchild, Samuel McKibben Bills; and his wife, Ellen Ledford Bills, who died on January 8th, 2014.
He is survived by three children, Stephen Hunter and Margaret Proffitt Bills of Tullahoma, Tennessee, Norman Kyle and Nadine Graves Bills of Franklin, Tennessee and Lee Anne and Jerry Potts of Murfreesboro, Tennessee; 10 grandchildren, Patrick Hunter Bills (Deborah) of Dallas, Texas, Nathaniel Ledford Bills (Jenni) of Tullahoma, Tennessee, Margaret Ellen McKinzie (Greg) of Pasadena, California, Collin Crutcher Bills (Kristin) of Memphis, Tennessee, Kathryn Frances Bills of Memphis, Tennessee, Matthew Kyle Bills (Jane) of Franklin, Tennessee, Anthony Collin Bills (Kelci) of Franklin, Tennessee, Leah Nadine Murphree (Luke) of Atlanta, Georgia, Lesley Kara Dye of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and Joseph Clint Daniel of Chattanooga, Tennessee; 19 great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Ann Hardison of Franklin, Tennessee; and multiple nieces and nephews.
Don retired from AEDC and then, with his wife, sold antiques at Ellen’s Antiques and Things. He was a member of the church of Christ at Cedar Lane. In his early years, he was an avid hunter and fisherman. In his later years, he was a sports enthusiast. Throughout his life, he supported his children and was also a supportive husband to a chronically ill wife and gave his own health for her.
Visitation will be Thursday, May 28th, 2015 from 4:00-6:00 pm at the church of Christ at Cedar Lane with the funeral service to immediately follow.
Service officiates will be Pat and Nathan Bills.
A private interment will be following on Friday, May 29th, 2015.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to C.U.D.A., which funds children’s libraries for the poor in Arequipa, Peru or the missions fund of the church of Christ at Cedar Lane.
Kilgore Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
5/27/15 —- MARY BELL ASHLEY
MARY BELL ASHLEY KELLEY, age 80, of Belvidere, Tenn. departed this life on Sunday, May 24, 2015, at her residence following an extended illness.
She was surrounded by her loving and devoted family and, friends.
Ms. Kelley was a homemaker. She loved working crossword puzzles and watching old Looney Tunes cartoons. Most importantly, she was a loving and devoted mother, grandmother and sister.
She is survived by her sons; Jerry Kelley of Estill Springs, Jimmy Kelley of Winchester and Michael Kelley also of Estill Springs. Daughters; Rita Hodges and husband Charles of Belvidere, Brenda Hicks and husband Daniel of Dickson, Tenn., and Juanita Malone of Winchester, sisters; Louvenia Sims of Winchester, Hazel Gilliam of Tullahoma and brother, Please Dewayne Ashley of Decherd.
Visitation with the family will be held from 4:00-8:00 P.M. Tuesday Evening, May 26, 2015, in the chapel of Grant Funeral Services.
Services are scheduled for 2:00 P.M. Wednesday, May 27, 2015, in the chapel of Grant Funeral Services with Bro. Johnny Lightner, officiating.
Interment will follow in the Winchester Memorial Park.
Grant Funeral Services in charge of arrangements.
5/28/15 —- Hershel Rayburn Adcock
Hershel Rayburn Adcock, age 72, of White House, passed away Sunday, May 24, 2015.
Born in Goodlettsville Sunday, July 19, 1942 he is preceded in death by his parents, John and Gladys Adcock.
Mr. Adcock is survived by his wife of 53 years, Janis; daughters, Teresa (Chris) Boyce, Laura (Clay) Culwell; son, Thomas R. Adcock; brother, John M. Adcock, Jr.; five grandchildren.
Mr. Adcock was Inventory Manager for Oscar-Meyer Foods for 23 years. He was a member of the Church of Christ of Joelton, Ivy Point, White House and also served as Deacon at Goodlettsville.
He enjoyed gardening, story telling, and art; he was a story teller and just a clown at heart.
A Celebration of Life will be conducted at 2:00 Thursday, May 28, 2015 in the chapel of Forest Lawn with Chris Boyce officiating.
Burial will follow in Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens.
Family and friends will gather to remember Mr. Adcock at a visitation Thursday, May 28, 2015 from 12:00 until the service at 2:00 at Forest Lawn Funeral Home 1150 S. Dickerson Rd. Goodlettsville, TN 37072.
Forest Lawn Funeral Home of Goodlettsville in charge of arrangements.
CCMS Girl’s Soccer Team Tryouts This Week
After Tuesday’s storms pushed through southern middle Tennessee, the Coffee County Middle School Girl’s Soccer team have made a change in their tryout times. Tryouts for the 2015 CCMS Lady Raider soccer team will begin on Wednesday at 4:00 PM at the CCMS field. The tryouts will run Wednesday and Thursday from 4:00 to 6;00 PM each afternoon. Those young ladies who are wishing to try out, should remember to bring: Cleats, shin guards and a copy of a current TSSAA sports physical. If you need more information, contact Coach Travis O’Kelley at okelleyt@k12coffee.net
Update On Injured Skydiver
Photo courtesy of the Winchester Herald-Chronicle.
Attendees at the “Red White and You” event in Winchester on Saturday saw something they were definitely not expecting. A skydiver hit power lines and fell to the ground.
The accident occurred at 5 p.m. during the National Anthem at Winchester City Park, next to Tims Ford Lake. Three jumpers were involved in the descent.
John Pitts, who hit the power lines was taken to Vanderbilt Medical Center where he was released on Sunday.
The event featured “Fly Like You Mean It” skydiving team, the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall and Lee Greenwood in concert. A crowd of around 3,000 attended.
The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the accident.
Two Teenagers Busted Inside Area Church
Two teenagers’ late-night visits to Blankenship United Methodist Church are over.
A Bedford County deputy woke them up Wednesday just before midnight after a security camera system was installed.
The teens, a boy and girl, admitted entering the building numerous times since Monday, May 11, Deputy Trey Green said.
Authorities were notified by the man overseeing the security system that the pair had entered and were inside the building.
The boy was told to clean up cigarette butts and marks on the windows where he’d crushed out the cigarettes. He admitted taking a projector earlier in the week, which was recovered at his nearby home.
Both teens, whose names are not being released due to their ages, were charged with burglary, theft of property over $500, vandalism over $500 and violation of curfew. The girl is charged with burglary and theft of property because she told investigators she knew he took the projector and did nothing to stop him. (Shelbyville Times-Gazette)
Police Looking For Sexual Offender
James Joseph Odell
Odell also has two outstanding drug warrants in Bedford County. If you know the whereabouts of James Joseph Odell, please call Bedford County Sheriff’s Department at 931.684.3232.
Unemployment Rate Down In Tennessee
Tennessee’s unemployment rate for the month of April was 6.0 percent, down three-tenths of a percentage point from the March rate of 6.3. That’s according to Tennessee Labor Commissioner Burns Phillips.
The national unemployment rate for April was 5.4 percent, down slightly from the March rate of 5.5.
Tennessee’s April unemployment rate is the third consecutive decline and is the lowest rate in seven years.
Over the past year, Tennessee’s unemployment rate decreased from 6.5 percent to 6.0 percent, while the national rate declined from 6.2 to 5.4 percent.
Tullahoma Utilities Board Awarded RP3 Designation
TUB Electric/Fiber Manager Brian Coate (middle) accepts the 2015 RP3 designation award at American Public Power Association’s (APPA) 2015 Engineering and Operations Technical Conference, which was held in Sacramento, California, on May 18th. Coate is pictured with Kenneth Stone (left), energy services and accounting manager of Braintree Electric Light Department of Braintree, Massachusetts; and Mike Hyland, APPA senior vice president of engineering services (right).
TUB is one of 94 of the nation’s more than 2,000 public power utilities to earn the RP3 recognition from APPA for providing consumers with the highest degree of reliable and safe electric service. TUB scored a 97 out of 100 on this evaluation.
The RP3 designation recognizes public power utilities that demonstrate proficiency in four key disciplines: reliability, safety, workforce development, and system improvement.
TUB had previously earned the award in 2007, 2009, 2011, and 2013. The award is now good for three years, which means that TUB’s newest designation will be valid from May 1st, 2015 to April 30, 2018. APPA is the national organization representing more than 2,000 not-for-profit, community- and state- owned electric utilities.