We Remember: Obituaries For Friday, September 15

Here are the latest obituaries and notices as provided by the funeral homes serving Cookeville, Baxter, Monterey, Sparta, Gainesboro and Livingston.

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Obituaries For Friday, September 15

Funeral services honoring Sarena Anne Flowers, 75 of Cookeville, will be at 12 noon Saturday September 16 at the Dyer Chapel of Hooper Huddleston and Horner Funeral Home. Bro. Mike Womack will officiate. Interment will follow at Black Oak Cemetery in White County. A beloved wife, mother, sister, and friend, she passed away on September 13, 2023, at Cookeville Regional Medical Center. Born on January 15, 1948, in Nashville, Sarena lived a life full of love, laughter, and service to her community. Sarena was a woman of many talents and passions. She was the former owner and cosmetologist of the Algood Beauty Shop. Later in her life, she found a new calling in juvenile corrections, serving with the Putnam County Sheriff Department for over 30 years. Her dedication and commitment to helping others were evident in her work. Known for her vivacious, feisty, and spunky personality, Sarena was a force to be reckoned with. Her spicy sense of humor and friendly demeanor made her a favorite among her friends and colleagues. Her zest for life was infectious, and she had a unique ability to light up any room she entered. Sarena is survived by her husband, Steve Flowers; her daughter, Monica (Willie) Cason of Sparta; two brothers, Samuel (Linda) Hassler of Crossville, and Terry (Vinnie Ann) Hassler of Smyrna; a sister, Clara Davis of Atlanta, GA; and her cherished granddaughter, Izabella Hood. She also leaves behind her special friends, Charlie Lane and June Hood, who will miss her dearly. She is preceded in death by her parents, Carlo Young and Belvia Wightman Hassler, and her son, John Brandon Hood. Her family will receive friends Friday from 5- 8 p.m. and again Saturday from 10 a.m. until service time.

Funeral services for Peggy Mackie, age 85 of Cookeville, will be at 1 p.m. Saturday September 16 at the Cookeville Chapel of Hooper Huddleston and Horner Funeral Home. Interment will follow at Cookeville City Cemetery. Peggy passed away Monday September 11 at Signature Health Care in Algood. Her family will receive friends Saturday from 11 a.m. until time of services.

Funeral Service for Specialist Tyler Hall Bilbrey, 22, of Baxter, will be held Saturday, September 16, 2023, at 2:00 pm from the chapel of Crest Lawn Funeral Home with Bro. Scott McKinney officiating. Interment will follow in the Crest Lawn Memorial Cemetery with full military honors. He passed from this life on Wednesday, September 6, 2023. Tyler was born Wednesday, August 22, 2001, in Livingston to Chris Bilbrey and Teresa Griffin. Tyler is survived by his mother, Teresa Griffin and Jeff Hickey, Father, Chris Bilbrey and his wife Penny; Nanny, Sheila Griffin; Nana and Pa, Archie and Kay Griffin; Granny and Pa, Diane and Mike Bilbrey; Siblings, Jayden Lee Griffin (Brianna Bowers), Malory Grace Duncan, A.C. Bilbrey (Sabrina Pappas), Grace Bilbrey, Haley Hickey (Stephanie Moore), Josh Pollock and his wife, Jenny, and Bridgette Maynord and her husband, Andrew; Uncles and Aunts, Steven Bilbrey and his wife Angie, Ashley Harris and her husband Brad, and Tanyia Gilmer and her husband Richard; Nieces, Athena and Silver Bilbrey; Special Family, Deondray Turner, Jayda Turner, Rae Lynn “Peapie” Michaels, Necole Wylie, Clayton Jones, Chad and Brandie Jones, Donoven McCallister, Braxton Greenwood, Blake Rice, Jaxson Rollins, Kaliyah Rollins. Laci Greenwood, Doris and Tonya Turner, Ali, and Maggie Bain, Patricia Ann and Dewayne Hollie, Kade Kadel, and Lisa Hawley; Special Cousins, Marshall, Cassey, Jacob, Kylee Parris, Alahna Gore, and Abbi Bilbrey. A host of cousins, and special friends. Tyler was preceded in death by, Maternal Great-Grandparents, Arza Grace Gunter and Junior Lee Gunter, Marie Odle, Mary Bell Griffin, and Chester Hall Griffin; Paternal Great-Grandparents, Ray and Blanche Bilbrey, and Eugene and Laura B. Parris; Cousin, Cole Sells. Visitation with the family will be held Friday, September 15, 2023, from 4:00 pm until 8:00 pm and again, Saturday, September 16, 2023, from 10:00 am until the time of service at 2:00 pm at Crest Lawn Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Fallen Lineman Organization.

Funeral services for Jo Ann Carver, 76 of Gainesboro, will be held on Saturday, September 16, 2023, at 2 P.M. at Anderson Upper Cumberland Funeral Home in Gainesboro, with Bro. Jimmy Anderson officiating. Burial will follow in the John L. Clark Memorial Cemetery. She was born November 23, 1946, in Detroit, MI, and she passed away on Monday, September 11, 2023 at Riverview Regional Medical Center in Carthage. She was the daughter of the late James “Foss” Stafford and Martha Dean Pippin Stafford. She was retired from Tennessee Tech, and a member of the Center Grove Church of Christ. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by 2 Brothers: Jerry Wayne “Dinky” Stafford and Johnny Ed “Tudor” Stafford. Survivors include her Daughter: Shannon (Joey) Pigg of Gainesboro, TN; Sister: Carolyn “Dovely” (Gary) Ramsey of Livingston, TN; and Nephews: James Robert “J.R.” Kinnaird III and Cody Ramsey. Visitation will be Friday from 4 P.M. – 8 P.M. and Saturday from 10 A.M. until time of services.

Funeral services for James Robert Kinnaird, Sr., 93 of the Lynn Chapel community, will be held on Saturday, September 16, 2023, at 4 P.M. at Anderson Upper Cumberland Funeral Home in Gainesboro. Burial will follow in the Burris Cemetery. He was born March 16, 1930, in Jackson County, and he passed away on Tuesday, September 12, 2023 at his residence in the Lynn Chapel community. He was the son of the late Robert Wesley Kinnaird and Leona Knight Kinnaird. He was married to the late Peggy June Smith Kinnaird, who passed away November 9, 2013. He worked as an arc welder for 41 years, and served in the U.S. Army. He was a member of the Fairview Church of Christ. In addition to his wife and parents, he was preceded in death by his Son: James Kinnaird, Jr.; 3 Brothers; 8 Sisters; Son-in-Law: Dale Flatt; and Grandson: Jeb Kinnaird. Survivors include his Sons: Ronnie (Debbie) Kinnaird of Gainesboro, Randy (Connie) Kinnaird of Cookeville, and Dennis Kinnaird of Cookeville; Daughter: Debbie (Ralph Murphy) Flatt of Bloomington Springs; 13 Grandchildren; and numerous Great Grandchildren and Great-Great Grandchildren. Visitation will be Saturday from 1 P.M. until time of services. Memorial donations may be made to the Burris Cemetery by contacting the funeral home.

A memorial service for Helene Mae (Rowe) Furst, 97, a resident of Cookeville, will be held at 5:00 p.m. Saturday, September 16 at Heavenly Host Lutheran Church in Cookeville. Her ashes will be buried with her husband’s at the National Cemetery in Fayetteville, AR. She died peacefully September 5, 2023, after a long and healthy life. She was born May 23, 1926 on the family farm near Scandinavia, Wisconsin to Harry and Ella Rowe. After her graduation from Scandinavia High School, she attended Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, the first in her family to attend college. Growing up during the Great Depression, she developed life-long attributes of strength, fortitude, and common sense typical of the Greatest Generation. Following college graduation in 1948, she worked in public school and Luther College as a librarian. She earned her Master of Library Science degree at the University of Michigan and also met Edward Furst, whom she married in 1951. They celebrated 55 years of marriage before Ed passed away in 2007. Helene was an outgoing person who could strike up a conversation at any time or place and quickly find something in common with her new friend. A devoted wife and mother keenly interested in the activities of her husband and children, she enjoyed each of the college towns the family lived in during her husband’s life as a professor. The last stop was Fayetteville, Arkansas, where she put down deep roots and lived for 50 years. She was one of the founders of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, with which she was deeply involved, and she established and maintained its library. She dedicated her time to volunteering in the community, for example, serving for decades at Washington Regional Hospital. She relished her Norwegian heritage and was sought out for her skill in making the traditional lefse flat bread. Without fail, every October she would don her shirt emblazoned with “Leif Landed First.” Her trips to Norway with family members were life highlights she cherished. She was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers Julian and Kermit, and her husband Edward Furst. She is survived by her children Linda (Dennis Tiche), Don (Ellis) and Ken (Denene); her grandchildren Caren Michael (Josh), Brian Furst, Kevin Furst (Kristin), Laura Dwyer (Ryan), Rachel Tiche, Emily Tiche, Paris Furst, Juliet Furst, and Evangeline Furst; and her great-grandchildren Tommy Michael, Nate Michael, Sam Michael, Ethan Michael, Finnegan Furst, Vivien Furst, Matthew Dwyer, and Elise Dwyer. In honoring her life you can donate to your local library in her name.

A memorial service for Mrs. Becky Gunnels, age 71 of Cookeville, will be held Saturday, September 16, 2023 at 5:00 pm in the Cookeville Chapel of Hooper-Huddleston & Horner Funeral Home. Mrs. Gunnels died Tuesday September 12, 2023 at her residence. Her family will receive friends Saturday from 3:00 pm until service time at the funeral home.

Funeral services for Fred “Skue” Heady, 84 of Gainesboro, will be held on Sunday, September 17, 2023, at 2 P.M. at Anderson Upper Cumberland Funeral Home in Gainesboro. Internment will follow in the Pharris Cemetery. Fred “Skue” Heady was born December 22, 1938, in Jackson County, and he passed away on Wednesday, September 13, 2023 at Cookeville Regional Medical Center. He was the son of the late Jim Calvin Heady and Bernettie Heady. He was an electrician, and a member of the Center Grove Church of Christ. He was a resident of Mabry Healthcare and Rehab. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his Wife: Bennie Olene Spivey Heady; Wife: Willene Robinson Heady; Brothers: Willie Earl Heady and David Heady; Daughter: Donnie Holloway; and Grandson: Kenny Wayne Collier. Survivors include his Daughters: Judith Nevins of Gainesboro, and Pam Blackman of Raleigh, NC; Brothers: Harold Heady and John “Pip” Heady, both of Gainesboro; Sister: Jean Thornton Dennis of Gainesboro; Grandchildren: Jamie Dailey, Johnny (Allison) Painter, Tonya Keaton, and Lisa Unger; Great Grandchildren: Cade Painter, Kendall Keaton, Bryce Keaton, Hailey Gray Keaton, Amber Lamb, and Eric Stafford; 2 Great-Great Grandchildren; and a host of nieces and nephews. Visitation will be held on Saturday from 5 P.M. – 9 P.M., and Sunday from 10 A.M. until time of services. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital or Shriners Hospitals for Children by contacting the funeral home.

Celebration of Life Services for Debbie Boswell, age 60, of Rickman, will be conducted on Sunday, September 17, 2023, at 7:00 PM from The Chapel of Goff Funeral Home. Mrs. Boswell was born on May 29, 1963, in Livingston, to Beulah Ray White of Cookeville, and the late Harvey White. Mrs. Boswell passed away on Tuesday, September 12, 2023, at the Cookeville Regional Medical Center. Mrs. Boswell was a homemaker and worked in the laundromat business. She attended the Refuge in Rickman. In addition to her mother, she is survived by her husband, Joe Boswell of Rickman; 3 sons and daughters-in-law, Brian and Tabatha Boswell of Rickman, Randy and Jennifer Boswell of Rickman, Corrie and Ambrea Boswell of Livingston; 13 grandchildren, Matthew, Lucas, Joseph, Troy, Hadlee, Maddie, Grayson, Ryland, Keelynn, Hayden, Harrison, Harlin, and Hayson; 4 sisters, Linda Bilbrey of Rickman, Clara Mae Powers of Cookeville, Connie Hickey of Cookeville, Sybol Honeycutt of the Dodson Branch Community; 3 brothers, Mark White of Monterey, Ronnie White of Rickman, Timmy White of Livingston. In addition to her father, she was preceded in death by her grandchildren, Nathaniel and Hayze; sister, Cecilia Wright; brother, Hank White; and infant brother, Clifton White. The family will receive friends at Goff Funeral Home on Sunday, September 17, 2023, from 6:00 PM until time of services at 7:00 PM.

Funeral services for David Leon Jones, 85 of Sparta, will be conducted 1:00pm Monday, September 18, 2023 from the Chapel of Hunter Funeral Home with burial in Highland Cemetery. He passed away at 7:46pm Wednesday, September 13, 2023 at Life Care Center of Sparta. Mr. Jones was born September 1, 1938 in Sparta to the late William Roy and Willie Ethel Sapp Jones. A longtime grocery store produce manager in the Nashville area, David took great pride in his work earning awards for his displays. Throughout his career, he met several country music and Grand Ole Opry stars. As a lifelong dog lover, David was always thrilled when dogs came to visit at Life Care. He was an avid University of Tennessee fan and had a vast collection of professional sports cards. David always had a kind word for anyone he met. For everyone that knew him, they will always best remember his sense of humor. In addition to his parents, he is also preceded in death by his wife Lynda Kaye Webster Jones, who died on September 27, 2010. Survivors include his daughter Deborah Lynn Duke and husband Jeff of Smyrna; Two granddaughters who fondly referred to their grandfather as Hi: Andrea Moore of Murfreesboro, Alicia Moore of Nova Scotia, Canada; Sister: Wilma Mills; Two nieces: Sharon Hickey and husband Lynn, Traci Turner and husband Ray; Nephew: James Mills. The family of David Leon Jones will receive friends after 10:00am Monday at Hunter Funeral Home.

Funeral Services for Charles Jeffrey Evans, age 62 of Sparta, will be held at 2:00 PM on Monday, September 18, 2023, at Oak Lawn Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Oak Lawn Memorial Cemetery. He passed away on Wednesday, September 13, 2023, at Erlanger Baroness Hospital in Chattanooga. He was born January 14, 1961 in Atlanta, Georgia, and he was the son of the late William and Ina Wood Evans. He was married to the love of his life, Dawn Evans, for 33 years. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Dawn Annette Altilio Evans and brother, Michael Evans. Survivors include: Son- Sean Evans (Stephanie); Sister- MaryAnn Evans; Brother- Dennis Evans. Jeff was patient and easy going. He was a family man and was dedicated to his family. He loved God and his country; he was a big supporter of the Veterans. He loved music and football, especially the Florida Gators. The family will welcome friends on Monday from 11:30 AM until time of the service at the funeral home.

The family of Mr. Robert Donald Austin, age 88 of Sparta, will receive friends on Thursday, September 21, 2023 from 1-2:00pm at Hunter Funeral Home. A private burial will be held in Highland Cemetery. The Austin family has entrusted Hunter Funeral Home with Robert’s cremation. He passed away at 8:48am on Sunday, September 10, 2023 at Alive Hospice in Nashville. Robert was born November 4, 1934 in Sparta, to the late Charles Dudley and Jennie Rogers Austin. He was a lifelong farmer. He loved his cattle and loved his land that had been in his family since it was still property of North Carolina before Tennessee became a state. In addition to his parents, he is also preceded in death by a sister Joyce Juanita Austin. Survivors include his sister Joan Austin Jones and husband Peter Edward Jones of Tyler, Texas; Two nieces: Jennifer Anne Blice and husband Joe of Plano, TX, Lezlie Elizabeth Jones and husband Ken Fraley of Amarillo, TX; Two great-nieces: Elizabeth Blice and Charlotte Blice.

The family of Allen Howard Allison, age 86 of Cookeville, will hold a public visitation in memory of him on Saturday, September 23, 2023, from 3:00-6:00pm at Whitson Funeral Home. No services will be held. Mr. Allison passed away on September 10, 2023, at the Bethesda Healthcare in Cookeville. Allen Howard Allison was born on March 6, 1937, in Cookeville, to the late John Howard and Carrie Ella (Allen) Allison. He worked in the newspaper industry with circulation. Several newspaper affiliates he worked for were the Gannett, Banner, & Tennessean. Howard was a lifetime resident of Putnam County, and of the Protestant faith. In addition to his parents, Howard was preceded in death by his brother: Albert Glen Allison and sister: Johnie Ruth Allison Maddux Knowles. He is survived by his wife: Sharon D. Martin; Stepdaughter: Whitney Martin Chandler of Oviedo, Fla; Two Grandchildren: Aydan D. Chandler and Ayvree D. Chandler.