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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, October 1
Mr. John “Tex” Kirkpatrick, age 75 of the Willow Grove Community, passed away Wednesday, September 29, 2021. Funeral arrangements are incomplete.
Mrs. Charlene Myers Darty, age 85 of Southfield, Michigan, and formerly of Cookeville, passed away Tuesday September 28, 2021, in the Henry Ford Hospital in Bloomfield, Michigan. Funeral arrangements are incomplete.
Mr. Mark Charles Pirolo, age 64 of Silver Point, passed away at home under the care of Kindred Hospice on Tuesday, September 28, 2021. Mr. Pirolo chose cremation and no memorial service is planned at this time. Mark was born January 29, 1957, in Carlisle, PA. He enjoyed nature, hiking, home remodeling, carpentry, and spending time with his pets. Survivors include his wife of 34 years, Susan; sisters, Terry Pirolo of Michigan, Susan Arendell and Jennifer Brady of Florida; brothers David of Tennessee, and Eric, Bret, and Christopher of Florida.
Mrs. Lisa Kay Bratton, age 38 of Cookeville, passed away Sunday, September 26, 2021, at St. Thomas West Hospital in Nashville. A memorial service will be held at a later date in Charleston, WV. Mrs. Bratton was born March 31, 1983, in Massillon, OH, to Cynthia Thompson Burge of West Virginia and the late Charles D. Burge, Sr. She was a homemaker and stay at home mom. In addition to her mother, she is survived by her husband, Jack L. Bratton, II of Cookeville; three daughters, Brooke Ferrell and Augusta Dibbs, both of Cookeville, and Sierra Ferrell of West Virginia.
Funeral services for Mrs. Mamie Lou Ballew Doney, age 82 of Sparta, will be held Saturday, October 2, at 11:00 am, at the Hensley Chapel Baptist Church with burial in the Young Cemetery. Mrs. Doney passed away Sunday, September 26, 2021, at the Standing Stone Health Care in Monterey. She was born March 19, 1939, in Van Buren County to the late Emery and Maggie Yates Greene. She is survived by her sons, Tommy & Cheryl Johnston Ballew of Sparta and Robert Ballew of Sparta. The family will receive friends after 5:00 pm on Friday at the Church.
A gathering of family and friends for James Antonio Ornelas, infant son of Tabitha Ashburn and Roberto Ornelas of Sparta, will be held Saturday from 11:00 AM until 1:00 PM at Oak Lawn Funeral Home. He passed away on Saturday, September 25, 2021, at Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga. A private funeral service will follow. Burial will take place in Plainview Cemetery in Cassville.
Funeral services for Mr. Sonny “Bud” Claude Burks, age 81 of Monterey, will be conducted Saturday, October 2, at 12 noon, from the chapel of Speck Funeral Home in Livingston. Burial will be in the Richardson Cemetery. Mr. Burks passed away Monday, September 27, 2021. Sonny spent most of his life farming and working construction. He lived his life surrounded by family and friends. He loved to tell stories and loved a great joke. He prided himself on the love he had for his family and how they are his greatest achievement. Survivors include his children Larry (Margaret) Burks and Lisa Frasure (Mark). The family will welcome friends on Friday until 8 PM at Speck Funeral Home.
Funeral services for Ms. Margie Dillon Barnes, age 96 of Livingston, will be Saturday, October 2, at 1:00 PM, at Presley Funeral Home. Interment will be in Paran Cemetery in Cookeville. Ms. Barnes passed away on Sunday, September 26, 2021, at home surrounded by family. Born Wednesday, June 10, 1925 in Hardy’s Chapel Community of Overton County, the daughter of the late Asa Dillon and the late Ada Moody Dillon. Margie was a homemaker, mother and wife. She loved having her flowers and plants around. She enjoyed traveling, going to all corners of the US, and cruising to the Caribbean. Margie loved anything pink. Most of all, she loved Jesus, her Lord and Savior, and her family. Surviving are son Michael and wife, Nancy Barnes of Beavercreek, OH; daughter, Brenda Barnes of Livingston. The family will receive family and friends from 11:00 AM to time of service at 1:00 PM.
Graveside services for Ms. Judy Faye Heady, age 76 of Gainesboro, will be held on Saturday, October 2, at 1:00 pm, at the John L. Clark Cemetery in Gainesboro. Ms. Heady passed away September 23, 2021, at Signature Healthcare of Putnam County. She was a very talented seamstress and owned her own seamstress business. She was of the church of Christ Faith. Survivors include her grandchildren, Shaun Dale Boles and Shelby Rose Boles; two brothers, Roland Heady and Danny Heady; three sisters, Gayle Pharris, Pam Humphrey and Brenda Dill. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a son, Kevin Dale Boles.
Graveside services for Mr. Roston Eugene Luna, age 86 of Sparta, will be Saturday, October 2, at 4:00 p.m., at Taylors Providence Cemetery. Mr. Luna passed away on Wednesday, September 29, 2021. He was born to the late Samuel Douglas Luna and Tennie England Luna on April 16, 1935, in Huntsville, AL. He is survived by his children, Hilda (Harold) Thurman, Esther (David) Fouts, Karen Luna, Mary (Tamala) Luna, Amy Luna, Philip (Vicky) Luna, and Carl Douglas (Juany) Young.
A memorial service for Mr. Harold “Ben” Benjamin Bowman, age 52 of Cookeville, is scheduled for Sunday, October 3, at 2:00 pm, at the Mineral Springs Baptist Church, located in Pell City, AL. Mr. Bowman passed away Friday, September 17, 2021, at Cookeville Regional Medical Center. He was born Tuesday, May 20, 1969, in Pell City, AL, the son of Harold Bowman and the late Marie Barber Bowman. Ben would give the shirt off his back if someone needed it. He helped others in different situations. He would lend a hand with whatever was needed. Ben was a great athlete growing up. He played football as a nose guard from fourth grade through high school. Ben enjoyed hunting for turkey and deer, as well as fishing. He worked as a carpenter building residential homes with his uncles. Survivors include his father, Harold Lawrence Bowman of Cookeville.
Memorial services for Mr. Edward Harold Taylor, age 74 of Sparta, affectionately known as “Ed” or “Gooch” to family and friends, will be conducted Sunday, October 3, at 4:00 pm, at Sparta First United Methodist Church. Mr. Taylor passed away Saturday, August 28, 2021, at his residence surrounded by his family. Ed was born August 24, 1947, in Sparta, to the late Harold Toy Taylor and Rebecca Hull Taylor Swindell. His work career began in high school at Gooch Drug Store, where he earned his nickname Gooch that he would carry for the rest of his life. Ed went on to work in marketing and later retiring as the Director of the Sparta Housing Authority. He was an avid tennis player and enjoyed all watersports while spending time on his houseboat on Center Hill Lake. He loved his home on Story Mountain, whether he was entertaining by the pool, working in his yard, cutting firewood, or sledding in the good snows of the 1980s and 90s. He was an active member of the Sparta First United Methodist Church where he served on various committees over the years. Gooch was a member of a group of friends that watched Monday Night Football together for nearly 40 years as well as a group that had a regular card game. Above all else, Gooch’s favorite time was spent with his beloved family. The family will receive friends Sunday from 2-4pm at the church. The Taylor family respectfully asks that all friends visiting the church to please wear a mask. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to any of the following, The Noah Taylor Myers memorial scholarship, Suicide Prevention/Awareness or the American Cancer Society in care of Hunter Funeral Home, PO Box 90, Sparta, TN 38583
Graveside services for Mr. Hobert Michael Freels, age 75 of Cookeville, will be on Monday, October 4, at John L. Clark Memorial Cemetery at 11 am. Bro. Mike Fox will officiate the service. Mr. Freels passed away at Cookeville Regional Medical Center on Thursday, September 16, 2021. He was born May 25, 1946, in Harriman, TN, the son of John Freels and Lottie Simpson Freels. He was a nuclear engineer and a Veteran of the US Navy. Mr. Freels was a proud member of the Republican Party. Survivors include his wife, Leisa Freels of Louisville, OH, and sister, Margaret Lynn Humphreys of Coalhill, TN.
Funeral services for Mrs. Sandra Leigh “Sandy” Goolsby Garrison, age 58 of the Cummins Mill community of Jackson County, will be held on Monday, October 4, at 11 A.M. at Anderson Upper Cumberland Funeral Home. Burial will follow in the Dodson Branch Cemetery in Jackson County. Mrs. Garrison passed away Wednesday, September 29, 2021, at Cookeville Regional Medical Center. She was born March 16, 1963, in Jackson County, to the late Kenneth Goolsby and Georgia Faye Stafford Goolsby. On June 10, 1989, she was married to Mike Garrison, who survives. She was the water center office manager at Tennessee Tech University, and a member of the Dodson Branch Freewill Baptist Church. Survivors include her husband, Mike Garrison of the Cummins Mill community; two daughters, Kelley Faye Garrison and Kendra Hicks, both of Cookeville. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a daughter, Kaitlyn Leigh Garrison. The family will receive friends on Sunday from 4 P.M. – 8 P.M., and Monday from 9 A.M. until time of services. Memorial donations may be made to the Diabetes Association by contacting Anderson Upper Cumberland Funeral Home.
Funeral services for Mr. Jerry Lee Wilder, age 75 of Sparta, will be held Tuesday, October 5, at 1:00 PM, at Oak Lawn Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Oak Lawn Memorial Cemetery with full military honors provided by the Veteran’s Honor Guard. Mr. Wilder passed away on Wednesday, September 29, 2021, at Cookeville Regional Medical Center. He was born August 28, 1946, in Franklin County, NC. He was the son of the late James and Teresa Perry Wilder. He served in the United States Army. Survivors include his wife, Linda Wilder of Sparta; three sons, Jimmy Patat (Jennifer) of Baxter, Kevin Patat of Bluffton, IN, and Duwayne Patat of Sparta; one daughter, Cathy Patat of Sparta. The family will welcome friends on Tuesday from 10:00 AM until time of the service at the funeral home.
A Celebration of Life service for Mr. Harold “Buddy” Crabtree, age 64 of Rickman, will be held on Thursday, October 7, at 6 PM. Mr. Crabtree passed away Thursday, September 23, 2021, at his home of 43 years. He was born Thursday, June 20, 1957, to the late Harold and Dorise (Barnes) Crabtree in Livingston. He always had his family at heart and was a hard working man. Buddy was baptized in the Church of Christ Faith. He spent most of his younger years on the family’s houseboat on Dale Hollow Lake with his wife and son. Traveling the country with his son driving tour buses for some of the biggest stars in music and he centered his life around his family, especially his grandchildren. He built wings for the B-1 Bomber at Affco before retiring with 33 years from Fleetguard. He was a wonderful husband, father, and absolutely the best “Pa” anyone could ask for. He will be missed beyond measure by all that knew him. Survivors include his wife of 44 years, Connie Sullivan Crabtree; one son, Jacob Harold Crabtree and his wife, Adrienne. The family will welcome friends at the Hall Funeral Home of Livingston on Thursday, October 7, starting at 4 PM.
A visitation for the family and friends of Mr. Gordon Gene Stephens, age 74 of Cookeville, will be held from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM on Saturday, October 16, 2021, at Crest Lawn Funeral Home in Cookeville. There will be an Honor Guard presentation at 1:00 pm. Mr. Stephens passed away Sunday, September 26, 2021, surrounded by his family. Gordon proudly served his country in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam Conflict. He proudly rode with and was a member of the Mechanized Calvary, First Battalion, Company “A”. He loved to ride his Harley Davidson motorcycle with his wife, Brenda, and friends. He is survived by his loving wife, Brenda Stephens; and daughter, April Wiseman. Following the visitation, Gordon will be taking his last ride to Big Puckett’s Campground where they will be celebrating his life. A pot luck meal will be served. Please bring a dish to share.
