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Ronnie Junior McGee
Ronnie Junior McGee, of San Antonio, TX, departed this life on, March 26, 2021 at the age of 67. The family will welcome friends for visitation on Monday, April 12 from 12:00pm to 1:00pm, with funeral services beginning at 1:00pm. Burial to follow at Moore’s Chapel Cemetery in Kelso, TN.
Mr. McGee was born in Fayetteville, TN to the late Samuel McGee and Ophelia Berry Jennings McGee. A man of many talents, he was an All-Star football player and also played the bass guitar in a band. He also enjoyed motorcycles.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by six brothers and two sisters.
He is survived by his daughter, Rhonda McGee (Adrian Green) of Huntsville, AL; a host of nephews, nieces, other relatives, and friends.
For online guest registry please visit, www.lynchburgfuneralhome.com
LYNCHBURG FUNERAL HOME IS IN CHARGE OF ARRANGEMENTS.
Walter Lewis Shaffer
Mr. Walter Lewis Shaffer, age 83, of Knoxville, TN,
passed from this life on April 5, 2021, at his residence surrounded by his
loving family.
Mr. Shaffer was born on February 11, 1938, in Confluence, Pennsylvania, to
the late Kenneth Jacob Shaffer, and Mary Grace (Fazenbaker) Rowe. Walter
and his late wife, Elinor Jane (Kennedy) Shaffer, resided in Knoxville,
Tennessee. He continued his residence in Knoxville, after he was widowed in
2016. Walter, more affectionately known as Walt, Dad, “G”, and Granddaddy
Walt, was extremely handsome, gentle-spoken, sensitive, humble, and
completely analytical in his thoughts and words. He had a dry sense of
humor, and he was fiercely loyal and devoted to his wife and the rest of
his family. He also deeply loved his dog, Molly. Most everyone knew about
his love of cars, particularly Volkswagen Beetles, and all models of
Porsches. Because of his great humility, however, many were unaware of his
enormous professional accomplishments, which included among other things,
contributions to NASA Apollo Projects 8 through 17 and the Skylab Space
Station, during his work at The Boeing Company/ Aerospace Division.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by brothers, Judson
Kenneth Shaffer, Thomas Irving All, and David Mitchell Rowe.
Mr. Shaffer is survived by sons, William Rust, Santa Fe, NM, Bradley
(Joyce) Rust, Hartsville, IN; daughters, Cindy (Roger) Brown, Seward, AK,
Jill (Paul) Bruno, Franklin, TN, Joy Shaffer, Knoxville, TN; fourteen
grandchildren, Meagan, Rachael, Derek, Laura, Ian, Dylan, Franz, Alma,
Eric, Valerie, Ali, Olivia, Ben, and Max; six great grandchildren, Jocelin,
Charley Rose, Murphy Claire, Brayden, Ronin, and Harper.
Family will receive friends on Sunday, April 11, 2021, from 12 noon until
2:00pm at Central Funeral Home in Manchester, TN. Funeral services will be
conducted immediately following the visitation at 2:00pm. Burial will
follow at Rose Hill Memorial Gardens.
Central Funeral Home is serving the family, 931-723-7774,
centralfuneralhome.com
Dimple V Clifton
Dimple V Clifton of Tullahoma passed this life on Sunday, April 4, 2021 at
the Manchester Health & Rehab Center at the age of 90. Graveside Services
are scheduled for Sunday, April 11, 2021 at 12 PM at Rose Hill Memorial
Gardens.
A native of Dickson, TN, she was the daughter of the late Roy and Hettie
Knight Hughey. She married her beloved husband, Leslie Wilson Clifton in
December of 1946 and relocated to Tullahoma in February of 1947. She was a
member of the Grundy Street Church of Christ. Mrs. Clifton was a wonderful
wife, mother and grandmother and was a true homemaker. She was a great
cook and enjoyed sewing, quilting and other handwork projects. She loved
helping people.
In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by
brothers, Roy Faxon and Athell Verdell and sister, Farris Elizabeth Maynor.
Mrs. Clifton is survived by daughters, Sue Muehlhauser and her husband,
Joel of Manchester and Rebecca Rayburn and her husband, Tim of Waukesha,
WI; sisters, Shirley Rector and her husband, Charlie of Dayton, TN and
Madge Smith and Glema Walker, both of Dayton, TN; grandchildren, Emmely
Duncan, Eric Muehlhauser and his wife, Jamie, Ashley Bennett and her
husband, Joshua and Andrew Rayburn and his wife, Lerryn and five great
grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made in her
honor to the Adoration Hospice Foundation, 851 McArthur Drive, Ste. 81,
Manchester, TN 37355, 931-616-0337.
Online condolences may be made at www.davesculbertsonfuneralhome.com.
Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Coffee County Sheriff’s Department needs help finding stolen truck; reward offered
Coffee County Sheriff’s Department is asking for help locating a stolen truck.
According to officials, a 2014 Dodge Ram 3500 Commercial Truck was taken from the Summitville area in the early morning hours of April 5. It is white in color.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call CCSD Investigator Brandon Reed at 931-570-4191 – tips will remain anonymous. A reward is being offered for the arrest and conviction of the individuals responsible.
Be aware of Coffee County Highway Department mowers
Coffee County Highway Department has announced that crews have begun mowing ditches in certain areas of the county for the spring season.
Motorists should stay back at least 150 feet from these mowers to be safe and avoid accidents.
Manchester to stop leaf vacuum service this for the summer
Manchester Street Department has announced that it will discontinue leaf vacuum service on April 23.
The leaf vacuum service will resume again in the fall, near the end of October.
Leaves put out for disposal after April 23 must be placed in paper recyclable bags that can be obtained at local retail stores. Grass clippings should be placed in these bags year around. All leaves and grass must be recycled according to state and federal regulations.
All leaves placed out to be vacuumed must be free of any sticks, rocks, limbs or other debris that could harm the equipment. Anyone with questions should call 931-728-6903.
Trial in death of Terry Barber set for 2022
The murder trial involving the death of Terry Barber will be heard in a Rutherford County Courtroom next year (2022). 68-Year-old Barber was a long time Rutherford County resident who was well known for selling college memorabilia and SEC clothing. Barber was also a well known high school umpire, including dozens of games called in Coffee County.
In June of 2019, a friend of Mr. Barber went to his Christiana home to check on him, which is when Barber was found deceased. Detectives from the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office were called to the residence on Walnut Grove Road and discovered that Barber had been beaten and robbed. Barber’s lifeless body was located on the floor of his home and reported that his hands and feet were bound together.
Arrested and charged with Barber’s murder were 20-year-old Devan Jacob Gailey, 21-year-old Brent Donavan Ross and 39-year-old Vernice Darlene Farrar. All three live in Murfreesboro. Court documents show the trio reportedly drove to the victims home where detectives say they worked together in robbing Barber, who they allegedly tied up and strangled to death.
Again, the trial has been tentatively scheduled to take place between March 21st through March 25th of 2022.
–Story written by news partners at WGNS Radio
(Upper photo: Three murder suspects. Lower photo: Terry Barber)
CMS teacher nominated as TN Lottery Educator of the Month
Coffee County Middle School teacher Roy Slaughter has been nominated for Tennessee Lottery Teacher Educator of the Month.
Anyone wishing to vote for him can do so by clicking here:
BASEBALL: Rockets sweep Fayetteville in Monday double header
Westwood took care of business against Fayetteville Monday night at Fred Deadman Park – winning a double header against the visiting Tigers.
Rockets 13, Tigers 3
Every player in the Rocket lineup scored at least one run in the opener (a game you heard live on Thunder Radio) as Westwood cruised past Fayetteville 13-3.
A 7-run second inning and a 4-run fourth enabled the Rockets to end the game early via the mercy rule.
WMS batted around n the second inning. Kaysen Lowery did a lot of the damage with a pair of hits, two RBIs and a run scored in the second inning alone. He also walked and scored in the fourth.
Vaughn Parker had a pair of RBIs on a triple in the second and two runs scored. Blake Hillis reached base every time he stepped to the plate, including RBI singles in each of the first two innings with runs scored.
Trevor Jesse was the winning pitcher – he also had a single with an RBI and a run scored in the big Rocket second inning. On the mound, Jesse worked two and two-thirds innings, allowing a pair of hits and three runs. He struck out two.
Lowery was nearly perfect in relief. He allowed a walk over one and one-thirds innings. He entered with the bases loaded in the third and got a pop up on the Hillis at shortstop to end the threat.
Also scoring runs for Westwood in the win were Brayden Trail (2), Owen Whitsett, Cayden Trail, Elijah Vernon and Dylen Trail.
Westwood 8, Fayetteville 2
The Rockets picked up right where they left off in game one, scoring at least one run in every inning except the third in an 8-2 win in the nightcap.
Kaysen Lowery and Cayden Trail were solid on the mound, combining to allow just four hits and a pair of runs. Trail picked up the win – working three innings and allowing a pair of earned runs on two hits. He walked six and struck out five. Lowery tossed two innings, allowing two hits and striking out two. He only walked one.
Trail helped his cause quite a bit at the plate – pounding out two hitsand knocking in three runs. He also scored a run. Elijah Vernon also had a pair of RBIs for the Rockets.
With the two wins, Westwood is now 6-5 on the season. The Rockets are set to host Eagleville on April 8.
Trevor Jesse 
Blake Hillis 
Vaughn Parker 
Blake Hillis 
Owen Whitsett 
Trevor Jesse 
Trevor Jesse 
Blake Hillis 
Davis McKenzie
CHS Tennis sweeps Shelbyville Monday
After four consecutive rainouts and postponements to start the season, the Coffee County Central High School tennis team finally made it on the court Monday afternoon in Shelbyville – and it went well.
Very well.
Coffee County swept the Eagles, with the boys team winning 7-0 and the Lady Raiders 4-3.
Singles (Coffee Co. player listed first)
Jaden Talley def. Jordan Blevin: 8-6
Johnathan Welch def Ronnie Hernandez: 8-2
Jonathan Nelson def. Jackson: 8-0
Landen Booth def. Wilson: 8-0
Krish Patel def. Flores: 8-0
Tyler Rigney wins 6-4
Lauren Perry falls to Ainsley Noel 8-2
Rylea McNamara def. Emma Habel – 8-1
Wren Lawson def. Vivian Fernandez 8-2
Emma Fulks def. Rachel Phillips 8-6
Macie Lawrence falls to Caitlyn Burdick 9-8
Kylie Millaway falls 6-4
Doubles
Talley & Nelson def. Blevins & Hernandez 8-5
Welch and Booth defeat Addison and Rason 8-0
Perry and McNamara def. Habel and Fernandez 8-1
Lawson and Lawrence fall to Noel and Burdick 8-2