Category: Obituaries

Deborah Sue Burton, of Murfreesboro, passed this life on Monday, May 18th, 2020 at Saint Thomas West Hospital in Nashville at the age of 71. Deborah was born in Chicago, Illinois to the late Frank and Fannie Mitchell Gatto. She was a graduate of Tullahoma High School and went on to work as a Registered Nurse at the University of Utah Hospital from which she retired. In addition to her parents, Deborah was preceded in death by one sister, Cynthia Couch. She is survived by her son, Aaron Winzinek (Deanna); one brother, Phil Gatto (Glenda); one sister, Julie Gatto Smahaj; and four grandchildren, Koyven, Kaylee, Cameron and Nolan. Visitation will be held on Thursday, May 21st, 2020 at Kilgore Funeral Home from 4:00-6:00pm with a memorial service to follow at 6:00pm with Bro. Pat Allison officiating. For those who wish, in lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations in Deborah’s memory be made to either the Shepherd’s House Tullahoma, P.O. Box 2611, Tullahoma, TN 37388 or the Tullahoma Animal Shelter, 942 Maplewood Avenue, Tullahoma, TN 37388. Kilgore Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Tony Lynn Smith, of Tullahoma, passed this life on Friday, May 15th, 2020 at his home at the age of 63. Tony was born in Winchester to Howard and Francis Wiseman Smith who both survive. He was a graduate of Shelbyville Central High School and went on to become the owner of Pet Paradise in Tullahoma. Tony was also a member of First Baptist Church in Estill Springs. In addition to his parents, he is survived by his wife, Gail Smith; two brothers, Barry Smith (Kathy) and Bryan Smith (Julie); one sister, Michelle Smith; and several nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, May 19th, 2020 at Kilgore Funeral Home from 5:00-8:00pm. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, May 20th, 2020 at 11:00am in the Kilgore Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Elbert Smith officiating. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Memorial Gardens. Kilgore Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Jimmy D. Swann of Decherd passed this life suddenly on Thursday, May 14,
2020 at Southern Tennessee Regional Hospital at the age of 78.  Family
Memorial Services will be scheduled at a later time.

Mr. Swann, a native of Decherd was the son of the late Virgil and Faye
Sublett Swann. He was a graduate of Franklin County High School. He was a
surveyor and retired from the Tennessee Department of Transportation. He
loved spending time with his family and enjoyed farming and raising cattle.
He was an avid UT football fan and loved his dogs, Barney, Ellie, Ruffers
and Jack.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by brother, Billy Joe
Swann.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Stephenie Eskew Swann of Decherd;
sons, Stephen Swann and his wife, Mary of Decherd and Joseph “Jedd” Swann
and his wife, Meredith of Decherd; sisters, Barbara Weaver of Decherd and
Betty Warmbrod and her husband, John of Belvidere; grandchildren, Tyler
Swann and Bryant Swann and his wife, Emily; mother-in-law, Isabel Eskew of
Winchester; brother-in-law, Sam Eskew and his wife, Pam of Estill Springs;
nephews, Terry Weaver and his wife, Leslie of Gunter, TX and Alex Eskew and
his wife, Jamie of Estill Springs; nieces, Cindy Chambless and her husband,
Don of Jacksonville, FL, Babs Feaster and her husband, Joe of Belvidere,
Sherri Gamble and her husband, Jeff of Belvidere, Joanna Miller and her
husband, Clifton of Belvidere and Wendi Weaver of Decherd; best friend and
cousin, Ronnie Swann of Decherd and several cousins, great nieces and
nephews, great great nieces and nephews and good friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested memorial donations be made in
his honor to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memorials Processing,
501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN  38105-9959 or a charity of your choice.
Please visit our website at www.davesculbertsonfuneralhome.com to leave
online condolences. Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home is in charge of
arrangements

Mrs. Evelyn Marie Medford Rogers, 90, passed away peacefully, Wednesday, May 13, 2020, after succumbing to pneumonia at St. Thomas Rutherford Hospital with her daughter and son by her side. She was born in Manchester, Tennessee on October 31, 1929, to Bob Medford and Pearl Stacey Medford who preceded her in death; along with her husband, Junior Rogers; sister, Alice Reed; brother, J.W. Medford; and son Dennis Rogers. Evelyn met and married the love of her life, Junior Rogers in 1947. They moved to Elkhart, Indiana in 1948 where they started an RV manufacturing company, Comanche Mobile Homes. They enjoyed many years of success before retiring to Manchester, Tennessee in 1974. Evelyn and Junior continued working long into retirement raising cattle and breeding saddle horses. However, their greatest accomplishments are the three wonderful children they created. Evelyn was a very independent woman who still lived on her own. She enjoyed gardening and cooking dinner for her family a few nights every week. She continued to mow her yard and shop alone as often as she liked. They do not call her “BIG E” for nothing! She had a love for red cars and had the best green beans on this earth. She had many shelties over the years, but her favorite by far was Holly. She lived and enjoyed her life. She was a long-time member of Trinity Baptist Church in Manchester, TN. She attended service and Sunday school regularly. She loved the Lord and her many friends that she worshiped with. Evelyn is survived by her son, Ronnie (Sandy) Rogers; daughter, Tammy (Robert) Marcom; daughter-in-law, Jenny Rogers; brother, Edgar Medford; grandchildren, Tom Rogers, Denise Rogers, Ronnie Rogers, JR, Andrew Rogers and twins, Jon and Josh Rogers; great-grandchildren, Katelyn, Ryan, Cody, and Hope Rogers and great-great-grandchildren, Emma and Henry Rogers. Visitation with the family will be held Friday, May 15, 2020, from 4:00 – 8:00 PM and Funeral services, Saturday, May 16, 2020, at 11:00 AM with Pastor Jerry Pullum officiating with a public interment at Rose Hill Memorial Gardens. Central Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to Trinity Baptist Church, Gideons. org or The American Heart Association.

Dwight Thomas Ellington was born December 23, 1953 to Thomas “Tom” Howard
Ellington and Virginia Hutcheson Ellington of Tullahoma and passed away in
Tullahoma on May 14, 2020 at the ae of 66.

Dwight was preceded in death by his father, Tom Ellington, paternal
grandparents, Earl and Beulah Ellington of Shelbyville, TN and maternal
grandparents, Tom and Katherine Hutcheson of Pikeville, TN.

Dwight is survived by his mother, Virginia; sisters, Gina Bragg (Bingham)
and Kimberly Maxon (Michael); nephews, Coleton and Leighton Bragg and
nieces, Ginny Jones (Baxter), Skye Maxon and Rivers Brown (Chris).

Dwight graduated from UT at Martin in criminal justice and spent many
decades working in his chosen career field.  He began his career as a
police officer in Tullahoma followed as an investigator for the railroad in
Nashville and ended his career working for Fed EX in Memphis.

Dwight was an expert marksman.  He had a great love for animals and flowers
and was very artistic.

A private graveside service is scheduled at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens in
Shelbyville.

Please visit our website at www.davesculbertsonfuneralhome.com to leave
online condolences. Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home is in charge of
arrangements.

Thomas E. Blake of Tullahoma passed this life on Sunday, May 10, 2020 at
Vanderbilt Hospital at the age of 63.  Funeral Services are scheduled for
Friday, May 15, 2020 at 1 PM at Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church, 301
S. Washington St, Tullahoma with burial to follow at Watson-North Cemetery
in Winchester.  The family will receive friends from 5 – 7 PM on Thursday,
May 14, 2020 at Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home and from 11 AM until 1 PM on
Friday, May 15, 2020 at Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church.

Mr. Blake, a native of Lincoln County, was the son of the late McCrady and
Sadie Ashby Blake.  He was a retired U S Army Veteran and also served in
the National Guard.  He was very proud of being a veteran and was a true
“serviceman”.  He was a member of Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church
where he enjoyed singing in the choir.  His favorite times were spent with
his grandchildren and children.  While his daughters were growing up, he
coached both softball and basketball and later was a softball umpire. He
also enjoyed driving trucks, cooking and fishing.  “He would give a smile
of encouragement to everyone he met.”

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by brothers, Robert
Patrick Blake and Joe Whittaker.

He is survived by his wife, Joyce Blake of Tullahoma; daughters, Monica
Blake of Nashville and Carla Childress of Nashville; sister, Deborah Nabors
(Raymond) of Lincoln County; Mother-in-law, Mary Childress of Tullahoma;
special niece, Connie Blake of Winchester; grandchildren, Aniyah, Preston
and Patrick Blake and Darwin Foster Jr. and many nieces, nephews, cousins
and friends.

Please visit our website at www.davesculbertsonfuneralhome.com to leave
online condolences. Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home is in charge of
arrangements.

Hillsboro – Mr. Gene D. Myers, 82, of Hillsboro, passed away Tuesday, May
 12, 2020 at his home surrounded by his family. Mr. Myers was a retired
farmer and carpenter. He was born to Floyd and Elloise Campbell Myers who
preceded him in death.
He is survived by his wife of 64 years Judith Wolff Myers; daughters Carol
Givens (John) of Pelham, Diane Blackwell (Joe) of Wartrace; sons Richard
(Karen) of Manchester, Danny (Mary Jane) of Beech Grove, Johnny (Debra)
Myers of Hillsboro, TN.;

Graveside services will be at 12:30, Thursday at Prairie Plains Church of
Christ Cemetery with Brother Billy Robison officiating.

Robert “Scottie” Dale Howell of Tullahoma passed this life on Tuesday, May
12, 2020 at his home at the age of 53.  No services are scheduled.

Mr. Howell, a native of Little Rock, Arkansas, was the son of the late
Benjamin Franklin and Ida Masters Howell.  He was a crane operator and
enjoyed working.  He also enjoyed fishing and watching TV.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by brother, Benny Carl
Howell and sister, Elizabeth Dole.

He is survived by children, Rob Howell of Franklin County and Eric Howell
of McMinnville; brothers, Roger Howell (Alicia) of Tullahoma, Benjamin
Howell (Kim) of Lynchburg and Jim Brinkley of Virginia; sisters, Doris Red
of Arkansas, Christine Sisk of Cookeville and Florine Stewart (Jeff) of
Belvidere.

Please visit our website at www.davesculbertsonfuneralhome.com to leave
online condolences. Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home is in charge of
arrangements.

Phillips, Julie Jean, of Tullahoma, passed this life on Thursday, May 7th, 2020 at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville at the age of 64. Julie was born in Benton, Kentucky to the late Gene and Martha Shemwell Phillips. She was a graduate of Marshall County High School in Benton, Kentucky and went on to graduate from Motlow College in Tullahoma with a degree in Accounting. Julie worked at ASCEND Federal Credit Union from 1991-1998 and then went to work as a Bookkeeper for Tullahoma City Schools and had retired from that position in October of 2019. She also worked as the Secretary of the Tullahoma Educational Foundation for Excellence from 2015-2019. Julie was a member of Cedar Lane Church of Christ and was active as a children’s Bible teacher and in many ladies’ activities throughout the years. She was very passionate about her favorite sports teams, especially the University of Kentucky, Tullahoma Wildcats and the Tennessee Titans. Julie had a passion for helping others with her kind and compassionate spirit. She was a beloved daughter, mother, sister, and special friend to so many who will be unbelievable missed by all who knew and loved her. Julie is survived by her three sons, Joel, Marshall and Will Phillips; two brothers, Johnny Phillips (Tracy) and Charlie Phillips (Denise); one sister, Janie Turner; and many nieces and nephews. Visitation will be held on Friday, May 15th, 2020 at Cedar Lane Church of Christ from 10:00am-12:00pm with a memorial service to immediately follow at 12:00pm with Bro. Gary Johnson and Johnny Phillips officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to either St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tennessee 38105 or Winchester Christian Academy, P.O. Box 715, Winchester, Tennessee 37398.
Kilgore Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Julie Jean Phillips