Category: Obituaries

Mary Katherine Lyons, 86, passed peacefully at her home on Tuesday, April 24th, 2012.

Ms. Lyons was born in Viola, TN to the late James and Mary Dewar Scott.

 She worked as a homemaker and was a member of the First Assembly of God in Tullahoma.

In addition to her parents she is preceded in death by one son, Robert Dale Lyons; one daughter, Sherry Lofty; two grandchildren, Kimberly and Billy Lofty; ten brothers, Buck, Rob, Raymond, Thomas, Warren, Sherman, Herman, Teddy, and Hershel Scott; and one sister, Lillian Tosh.

Ms. Lyons is survived by two daughters, Nancy Jones and husband Dale of Hillsboro, Cathy West and husband Roger of Estill Springs; one son, Alan Lyons and wife Karen of Lynchburg; six grandchildren, Tonya Summarell, Hannah Lawson, Amber Davenport, Andrea Lyons, Justin Lyons, and Lisa Lofty; five great-grandchildren, Kristyn, Kimberlee, Nicolas, JJ, and Kylie Jo; and her special loving caregiver, Phyllis Gifford.

Visitation will be held on Friday, April 27th, 2012 from 5:00-9:00pm at Kilgore Funeral Home.

Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, April 28th, 2012 at 10:00am in the Kilgore Funeral Home Chapel with Alan Lyons and Pastor Ron Forrester officiating.

Burial will be at Rose Hill Memorial Gardens.

The family ask that you dress casually and suggests donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 201 West Lincoln Street, Tullahoma, TN 37388.

Kilgore Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

Frances Speegle, age 74 of Lynchburg, passed away Tuesday, April 24, 2012 at Centennial Medical Center.

She was a homemaker.

Preceding her in death were her parents, Isom Speegle and Bena (Knott) Speegle and her husband. J. T. Speegle.

Survivors include a daughter, Shirley (Steve) Staples of Winchester; sons, Rickey Speegle and Tony (Stephanie) Speegle of Tullahoma and Robert (Angela) Speegle of E. Moline, IL; sister, Janice (Wayne) Graham of Cullman, AL; brother, Wayne Speegle of Cullman, AL; grandchildren, Sabrina, Holly, Oliver and Carrie Staples and Shawn, Rachel and Rebecca Speegle ; great grandson, Aiden Walker; nephew, Michael Speegle; nieces, Angela (Bryant) Hudson, La Tonya Mecklenburg; great nieces, Olivia and Victoria Hudson and Jade Mecklenburg; and great nephew, Jonathan Speegle.

Visitation is 5-8 PM Thursday at Jennings Moore-Cortner Funeral Home. Funeral services will be 11 AM Friday, April 27, 2012 at First Baptist Church in Lynchburg with Pastor Carl Tucker officiating.

Interment at Hurricane Cemetery.

Jennings Moore-Cortner Funeral Home of  Lynchburg in charge of arrangements.

Hazel Ann Ward Burton of Lynchburg, Tennessee died on Tuesday, April 24, 2012 at Harton Regional Medical Center.  She was 64.

She was preceded in death by her father, Elijah Ward and mother, Maggie T. Miller.

She is survived by her daughter, Gloria Damron (Mike) of Normandy; son, Ricky Glenn Burton (Kim) of Unionville; sisters, Bernice Finney (Gordon) of Estill Springs, Jean Montgomery of Tullahoma, Charlotte York (David) of Normandy and Rebecca Denby (John) of Tullahoma; four grandchildren and six great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be conducted Thursday, April 26, 2012 at 5 P.M. at Lynchburg Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Jim Growden officiating.

A private interment will be held in Lynchburg Cemetery. 

The family will receive friends Thursday, April 26, 2012 from 4-5 P.M. at the funeral home.

Lynchburg Funeral Home in charge of the arrangements.

Edna E. Garrett, age 70 of Winchester, passed away Monday, April 23, 2012 at Southern Tennessee Medical Center.

Mrs. Garrett was an avid “yard-saler” and enjoyed bowling and crocheting.  She is preceded in death by a son, Terry McLendon, her mother and father, Chaffin and Ruby Teal.

She is survived by her daughters, Deanne McTeer of Pelham and Tammy (Larry) Hauser of Valdosta GA; sons, Johnny Ray Garrett of Winchester, Gary (Frankye) Sons of Crossville, TN and Taxton McLendon of Waynesboro, GA; grandchildren, Chad McLendon, Terry McLendon, Taxton McLendon, Jr., Christopher Shumen, Taylor Hauser, Hanna Hauser, Felicia Garrett, Kenneth Ray Garrett, Tyler McTeer, Megan McTeer and Christopher Wise; great-granddaughter, Abby Smith; sister, Deborah Hancock of Haynes City, FL; a host of nieces and nephews.

The funeral service will be conducted from the chapel of Watson-North Funeral Home at 2 p.m. Thursday April 26, 2012.

Interment will follow at Maxwell Cemetery in Belvidere with friends and family serving as pallbearers.

The family will receive friends Wednesday evening from 6-8 p.m.

Watson-North Funeral Home, Cremation Center & Memorial Park in charge of arrangements.

Funeral services for Mr. Leonard Jasper Sweeton, age 84 of Manchester will be conducted Thursday, April 26, 2012 at 11:00 AM at Coffee County Funeral Chapel with Brother Ray Winton officiating.

Burial will follow at Coalmont Cemetery in Grundy County, TN with Military Honors.

Visitation will be Wednesday from 5:00-9:00 PM at the funeral home. A Masonic service will be conducted at 7:00 PM.

Mr. Sweeton passed away Monday, April 23, 2012 in Nashville, TN.

He was born November 8, 1927 in Coalmont, TN the son of the late Edward Sweeton and Maude Hargis Sweeton.

He grew up in Grundy County having graduated from Coalmont School in 1943. He joined the United States Navy in 1946 and was released honorably from active duty in December 1947. Leonard then moved north to Michigan where as fate would have it he would meet a Tennessee girl named Lesley Beatrice Sweeton who would become his wife in April 1951. The couple started their family and resided in Eastpointe, Michigan until 1989 when Leonard retired from General Motors after 35 years of service. They then moved to Manchester where Leonard enjoyed gardening and helping friends and neighbors by plowing their gardens or whatever they needed. He enjoyed the outdoors and woodworking. He was a member of Hillsboro Masonic Lodge # 382. To friends and family he was known to always have a “grin” on his face.

In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his wife and a brother, Charles Sweeton and a sister, Clara Mae Nunley.

Survivors include children, Shirley A. Murphy of Chesterfield Township, MI; Richard Sweeton and wife, Treva of Manchester; Sandra K. Prince and husband, Robbie of Troy, IL; April Y. Sweeton of Murfreesboro, TN and step-daughter, Brenda L. Presley and husband, James of Tullahoma, TN; three grandchildren, Robbie Prince, Jr. of Edwardsville, IL, Patrick G. Murphy of Chesterfield Township, MI and Andrea Moody and husband, Joe of Watauga, TX; a brother, Kenneth Sweeton and wife, Eloise of McMinnville, TN and three sisters, Alma Lee Sanders of Manchester, Myrtle Northcutt of Morrison and Wanda Sweeton of Portland, TN; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and loving friends. 

Coffee County Funeral Chapel in charge of arrangements.

Funeral services for Mrs. Stephanie Fletcher, age 91 of Murfreesboro will be conducted Friday, April 27, 2012 at 1:00 PM at Coffee County Funeral Chapel with Father Stephen Klasek officiating. 

Burial will follow at Rose Hill Memorial Gardens. 

Visitation will be Friday from11:00 AM until time of services at1:00 PM.  

Mrs. Fletcher passed away Monday, April 23, 2012 in Murfreesboro, TN.

She was bornAugust 30, 1920 in Amaliendorf, Austria the daughter of the late Henry and Elizabeth Kainrath. 

She was employed as a waitress throughout her life and was a member of the Catholic faith.  She was the last of eleven children and was preceded in death by her husband, Sammie Fletcher. 

Survivors include a son, Jimmy Fletcher ofMurfreesboroand a granddaughter, Jacquelyn Hester of Murfreesboro.

Coffee County Funeral Chapel in charge of arrangements.

James Edward “Jimbo” Green, age 83 of Winchester, Tennessee passed away on Monday, April 23, 2012, at Skilled Nursing Facility in Winchester.

He was born October 15, 1928 in Winchester; the son of the late Jim Clarence and Lucinda (Nelson) Green.

He was employed by Wilton Corporation and was a member of the South Side Baptist Church.

Mr. Green was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Lou Green and sister, Lucy Steekley.

Surviving are son, John (Dottie) Green of Winchester, TN, sister, Cressie Bucher of Winchester, TN; grandchildren, Tim (Renee) Green and Joey and great-grandchildren, Kalie, Kyle and Hanna Green.

A Funeral service will be at 10:00 AM on Wednesday in the Moore-Cortner Chapel with the Rev. Dewayne Brown officiating.

Interment will be in Franklin Memorial Gardens, Winchester, TN.

The family will receive friends from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Tuesday, April 24, 2012, at the Moore-Cortner Funeral Home, 300 First Ave. NW, Winchester.

Moore-Cortner Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

Chester Ernest Searle, Jr., age 77, of Pelham, Tennessee, passed away April 23, 2012, at Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee.

He attended the Chapman’s Chapel Church of The Nazarene.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Chester Ernest Searle, Sr., and Ruth Kerr Searle; sisters, Ruth and Ellen.

Survivors inclued his wife Jewel Searle, Pelham, Tennessee.

Funeral services will be held 11:00 AM Thursday, April 26, 2012, at Chapman’s Chapel, with Reverend John Burge officiating, burial will be in the Warren Cemetery with military honors provided by Sequatchie Valley Honor Guard.

The Family will receive friends Wednesday from 6-9 PM at the funeral home.

Funeral arrangments are made by Cumerland Funeral Home of  Monteagle.

Kathryn Elizabeth Garner Riddell, age 86 of Cowan, passed away at her home Saturday April 19, 2012. 

A native of Chattanooga, she lived in Nashville for 9 years and later in Silver Spring Maryland where she worked as a private duty nurse for 20 years. Following retirement 30 years ago, she made her home in Cowan to be closer to her family.  She was an artist in many forms and an avid lover of animals and people.  As a loving, caring and devoted mother of 6, she will be remembered for the outstanding example of integrity and grace that she set for her children. 

She is preceded in death by her husband, Franklin Delano Riddell; daughters, Jewell Jean Garner, Jo Leona Hintermyer and Trudy Theresa White; sisters, Peggy Sue Crunk, Nancy Theresa Welch; brother, Robert Lee Garner; granddaughter, Jennifer Jo Fijardo; mother, Lillie Leona Henley and father William Edward Garner. 

She is survived by her daughters, Carolyn (Jeff) Fajardo of Bethany Beach, DE, Connie Sue (Joe) McDaniel of Spring Hill, FL; son Hamilton Hugh (Judy) Riddell if Sykesville, MD; sisters, Henrietta Blackburn of Monteagle and Norma Jean Garner of Tullahoma; brother, Bobby Joe Garner also of Tullahoma; grandchildren, Alex Hintermyer, Celeste McDaniel, Jason Fajardo, Ryan Riddell, Jessica Riddell and Scarlet Campbell; great-grandchildren, Christan Morgan McDaniel, Jonathan Campbell, Neeley Campbell Thomas, Carly Jo Fajardo, and Luanna Beau Fajardo. 

A memorial service will be conducted at 2 p m Friday April 27, 2012 from the chapel of at St. Mary’s Convent in Sewanee with Rev. Steve Davis officiating. 

Burial will follow at O’Dear Cemetery. 

In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorial contributions to the Franklin County Animal Shelter. 

Watson-North Funeral Home in charge of the arrangements.

Emily F. Degnan Johnson, age 78 of Winchester, passed away April 22, 2012 at Middle Tennessee Medical Center.

A native of Chattanooga, she had made her home in Franklin County for more than 60 years and was a 1951 graduate of Franklin County High School.

She is preceded in death by her husband, James W. Johnson; sister, Mary Carson; brothers, Arthur Degnan, Pete Degnan and James Degnan.

She is survived by he brothers, William R. Degnan and Marion Rex Degnan, both of Arizona; niece, Sandra (David) DeLeeuw of Collierville, TN; nephew, Mark (Lisa) Carson of Winchester; several other nieces and nephews.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday April 25, 2012 at Good Shepherd Church in Decherd.

Interment will follow at Franklin Memorial Gardens. Friends and family members will serve as pallbearers.

The family will receive friends from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday evening.

In Lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions to American Heart Association 1818 Patterson Street, Nashville, TN 37203.

Watson-North Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.