Obituaries

Lois Cummings, age 91, of Woodbury passed away Monday, May 23, 2022 at Woodbury Health & Rehab.  She was born on May 7, 1931 in Cannon County. Graduated from Woodbury Central High School. Completed Knox Business College in 1960.

Survivors include her niece, Carol Powell (Pete) Bennett of Murfreesboro; Nephew, Sammy Powell of Murfreesboro; Best Friend, Mildred Powell of Woodbury; Great Nephews, Peter (Lauren) Bennett & Samuel (Ginny) Bennett of Murfreesboro; Great Niece & Nephew, Reese & Chloe Bennett of Murfreesboro; and Cousins, Bobby (Connie) Moore of Woodbury & Nancy (Wendell) Key of Alabama.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Alma Cummings in 1989; Uncle Otis “Pap” Cummings in 1980; and Grandmother,  Sallie “Mammy” Melton Cummings in 1971.

Ms. Cummings was retired from the Good Samaritan Hospital and the Stones River Hospital and she attended Woodbury Church of Christ and was one of the oldest attending members.

Graveside Services will be 11:30 AM Friday, May 27, 2022 at Riverside Cemetery.  Visitation will be at 11 AM Friday, May 27, 2022 at Riverside Cemetery.  

Pallbearers will be Sammy Powell, Bobby Moore, Peter Bennett, Pete Bennett, Samuel Bennett and Jerry Knoll.  Honorary Pallbearers will be Reese Bennett & Chloe Bennett.

Woodbury Funeral Home, 615-563-2311 or to leave condolences for her family, please visit www.woodburyfuneralhome.net

Don Barker, 82, of Readyville passed away Sunday, May 22, 2022 at Alive Hospice of Murfreesboro.  He was born in Rutherford Co., the son of the late Joe Don Barker, Sr. and Dorothy McBroom Barker.

He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Dean Francis Barker of Readyville; daughters, Libby (Trevor) Sledge of Murfreesboro and Mary Ellen (Matt) Smith of Readyville; grandsons, Jacob Barton Sledge and Benjamin Barker Sledge; brother, Dr. Charles L. (JoAnn) Barker of Sewanee; brother-in-law, Fred (Cindy) Adams of Readyville and his sister-in-law, Drunell Higgins of Woodbury.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Kitty Adams.

Don was a Christian and worshipped with his family at First Baptist church, Woodbury.  He served with the National Guard for 4 years until it was time to come home and work.  He was a hardworking lifetime farmer, from crops to animals, he did it all.  He also enjoyed restoring antique John Deere tractors. Don was fun-loving, life of the party who loved to laugh and aggravate everyone.  He always kept that mischievous smile.  His favorite pastime was work and that was what he did until he wasn’t able.

Funeral services will be 2:00 pm Wednesday, May 25, 2022 at First Baptist church, Woodbury with Dr. Dean Anderson officiating.  He will lie in state at the church from 1 pm until his time of service.  Interment will follow in Riverside cemetery.  Pallbearers include Jacob & Benjamin Sledge, Mitch & Evan Kincaid, Issac & Lytton Haley, Andy Higgins, Justin Weaver and Quint Baird.

Visitation with his family will be Tuesday, May 24, 2022 from 4 pm until 8 pm at Woodbury Funeral Home.  

For those wishing to do so, donations may be made to Alive Hospice of Murfreesboro or to St. Jude’s Hospital %Woodbury Funeral Home, 615-563-2311.  To leave condolences and memories for his family, please visit www.woodburyfuneralhome.net

Jaxon Nealand Reed, age 7 weeks, passed away Wednesday, May 18, 2022.  He was born on March 28, 2022 to his parents, C.W. & Atheana Jernigan Reed of Woodbury.

In addition to his parents, he is survived by his sisters, Sadie Grace Reed & his twin sister, Everly Joelle Reed; Grandparents, Russell Reed of Woodbury, Mary Harmon of Woodbury, and Mark & Dewanna Jernigan of Morrison; Great Grandparents, Johnny & Judy Harmon of Woodbury; and Uncles, Casey Reed & Matt Jernigan.

Several cousins, aunts, & uncles also survive.

Jaxon was preceded in death by his grandmother, Denise Reed; grandfather, Jeff McNeese; and great grandparents, Warren & Ladye Ruth Reed and Cliff & Joy Mankin.

Graveside Services will be at 1 PM Sunday, May 22, 2022 at Ivy Bluff Cemetery (Cannon Co.) with Bro. Jeff Cripps officiating.  Visitation with the family will be from 4 PM to 8 PM Saturday, May 21, 2022 at Woodbury Funeral Home.

Jean Rigsby, 88, passed away Tuesday, May 17, 2022 at her home in Woodbury. She was born in Cannon Co., TN., the daughter of the late, Casto and Mary Bragg Creson.

She is survived by children, Randy Rigsby and his wife, Violet Brandon Rigsby of Woodbury and Kathy George and her husband, Randy George of Woodbury; grandchildren, Leigh Ann (Alan) Taylor of Woodbury Matthew (Shellie) Rigsby of Murfreesboro, Natalie (Will) Perkins of Murfreesboro and Alex (Olivia) George of Auckland, New Zealand and great grandchildren, Hannah Grace and Hendrix Taylor, Race, Coy and Wynn Rigsby, Ezra and Gracie Perkins.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Charles Edwin Rigsby.

Ms. Jean was a member of the Leoni church of Christ and was a homemaker.  She enjoyed quilting and she blessed her family with many quilts to cherish.  She also enjoyed reading and gardening.  Most of all, she loved her family and taking care of her grandchildren. 

Visitation with her family will be from 11am until 1:45 pm Friday, May 20, 2022. Graveside services will follow at 2:00 pm in Riverside cemetery with Bro. Herb Alsup officiating.   

Woodbury Funeral Home, 615-563-2311 or to leave condolences and memories for her family, please visit www.woodburyfuneralhome.net

Carlos Faye Smithson, 78, passed away Monday, May 16, 2022 at Woodbury Health and Rehab.  A native of Cannon Co., she was the daughter of the late Richard and Hazel Mitchell Davis.

Survivors: siblings, Glenn (Debbie) Davis of Bradyville and Deborah Gibson of Readyville; nieces and nephews, Vickie Pennington, Jr. Davis, Richie (Megan) Davis, Andy (Ticia) Davis; great nieces and nephews, Josh Davis, Kelly Davis, Ethan (Lauren) Curtis, Lilly, Jack and Rose Davis, Hunter and Abbie Davis, Miranda Johnson, William Thomas and Nathan Eley. Several great great nieces and nephews also survive.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Loy Smithson, daughter, Penny Smithson and siblings, Arlene Pennington, Buck Davis and Vivian Eley.

Ms. Smithson was a member of the Iconium church of Christ and was a seamstress working for many corporations such as Colonial Shirt Factory, Valdor and Crane. She enjoyed crocheting, making White Oak baskets and canning. She also loved to can and was a wonderful cook.  Her family meant the most to her and spending time with them was something she looked forward to.

Visitation with her family will be from 11 am until 1 pm Wednesday, May 18, 2022 with her funeral services to follow at 1 pm in the Chapel of Woodbury Funeral Home.  Bro. Norman Pelham will officiate.  Interment will follow in Blue Wing Cemetery with Bro. Jerry Gilley officiating.  

Woodbury Funeral Home, 615-563-2311 or to leave condolences and memories for her family, please visit www.woodburyfuneralhome.net

Edith Aline Owen Miller, 83, passed away Thursday, May 12, 2022 at Lynchburg Nursing Center.  She was born in Warren Co. to her parents, the late Johnny Owen and Mary Jane Todd Owen. 

She is survived by her son, Darrell (Tammy) Fults of Shelbyville; grandchildren, Erica (CJ) Rasch of Murfreesboro and Jared Fults of Knoxville

great grandson, Maxwell Rasch.

In addition to her parents, Ms. Miller was preceded in death by her son, David Fults and 9 siblings.

She was a member of the Red Hill Church of Christ and was retired from Woodbury Nursing Center.  Edith enjoyed gardening, doing word searches and watching The Wheel of Fortune.  She sold Avon and was proud of the fact she was able to read her bible through at least 12 times.  Above all, she loved her family especially her grandchildren. 

Visitation with her family will be from 11 am until 4 pm Sunday, May 15, 2022 with her funeral services to follow at 4 pm in the Chapel of Woodbury Funeral Home.  Bro. Eddie Duke will officiate.  Interment will follow in Ivy Bluff Cemetery.  

Woodbury Funeral Home, 615-563-2311 or to leave condolences and memories for her family, please visit www.woodburyfuneralhome.net

Chris Mullican, 59, passed away Thursday, May 12, 2022 at St. Thomas Rutherford following an extended illness.  He was born in Cannon Co., TN.

He is survived by his daughter, Linsey Mullican (Sawyer Henderson) of Woodbury; mother, Wanda Thomas Mullican of Woodbury; granddaughters, Riley Goodman and Sophie Hiles; siblings, Jerry (Tammy) Mullican of Woodbury, Judy (Jimmy) Orrick of Centertown and Tammy (Randy) Burnett of Bradyville.

Also surviving are several nieces, nephews and many friends.

He was preceded in death by his father, Cloy Dwyane Mullican and his sister, Beth Ivie.

Chris was a mechanic and best known as a “jack of all trades”.  If anyone needed anything done you could count on him.  He did many jobs all of which he enjoyed including, carpentry and masonry.  He loved “supervising’ odd and end jobs which was mainly telling his friends what to do.  In his spare time, he enjoyed “relaxing” and that involved camping, riding horses, farming and driving a tractor.  Above everything else, his favorite thing was spending time with his family especially his granddaughters, Riley and Sophie, his soon to be son-in-law, Sawyer and his daughter, Linsey who will always be a “daddy’s girl”.

Funeral services will be 2 pm Sunday, May 15, 2022 in the Chapel of Woodbury Funeral Home with Bro. Greg Mitchell officiating.  Interment will follow in Centerhill Cemetery.  

Visitation with his family will be Saturday, May 14, 2022 from 4 pm until 8 pm and Sunday, May 15, 2022 from 11 am until time of service.

Woodbury Funeral Home, 615-563-2311 or to leave condolences and memories for his family, please visit www.woodburyfuneralhome.net

Wilma Jean Phillips Harris passed way at her home in Auburntown on May 9, 2022, after an extended illness. She was born on October 6, 1934, in the Center Hill area of Cannon County.

She is survived by two daughters, Beverly Bryan (Jerry) and Martye Harris; along with two granddaughters; Leah Bryan Wilson (Nick) and Rebekah Bryan Tate (Josh); seven great grandchildren: Maggie Tate, Allie Wilson, Elijah Wilson, Maya Wilson, Levi Tate, Isaiah Wilson, Noah Wilson and “grand dog” Paige Harris. She is also survived by two sisters, Shirley Vance, and Reba Denny McGee. She is further survived by numerous nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her husband of 66 years, Eugene M. Harris; her parents, Wiley and Ila Mae Phillips, as well as 7 siblings: Captola Armstrong Bell, Mozell Page, Vida Brazzell, JD Phillips, Hoyt Phillips, Jerrell Phillips, and Louise Smith.

She was a seamstress by trade and worked at the Colonial “shirt factory” in Woodbury and for Norvell in Alexandria for many years. She was an excellent cook and was famous for her homemade banana pudding.

She was a beloved member of the Auburntown Church of Christ and was hostess to many visiting ministers over the years.

Visitation will be at the Woodbury Funeral Home on Wednesday, May 11, 2022, from 4:00PM to 8:00PM. (504 W. Main Street, Woodbury, TN 37190)

The funeral will be held at the Auburntown Church of Christ at 15 West Main Street, Auburntown on May 12th with visitation from 1:00PM until time of the funeral at 2:00PM with David Dunn officiating. Interment will be at the Prosperity Cemetery.

Pallbearers include Josh Tate, Nick Wilson, Ed Faille, Jason Brown, Travis Turney, Elijah Wilson.   Serving as Honorary Pallbearers, Robbie Owen, Darnell Brown, Ruth Davenport, Betty Thomas, Katherine Faille.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Auburntown Church of Christ.

Woodbury Funeral Home, 615-563-2311 or to leave condolences and memories for her family, please visit www.woodburyfuneralhome.net 

Christopher Bryan Batey was born on Thursday, August 26, 1971 in Woodbury, Tennessee. He departed this life on Thursday, May 5, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Christopher was a man’s man, prepared to pursue, defend, and conquer all of life’s obstacles. While attending Cannon County High School, he found his place on the football team. Quick as a wink, his speed proved to be a true asset to the team for the 3 years he played. Balancing school, athletics, and family didn’t prove too much of a challenge for Chris, so he threw working at the local Dairy Queen into the mix.

Graduating with the Class of ’90, Chris went on to hold several jobs. Still tough as nails, he began working at Crane Interiors. He was someone with the grit to get the job done, and it wasn’t until his health started failing that he left work. In his spare time, Christopher enjoyed watching NFL games, checking out classic cars, and collecting guns. However, the true light of his life was his daughter, Christiana, whom he loved to pick up and take go-cart riding.

He leaves to cherish his memory his mother, Nettie A. Batey of Woodbury; his precious daughter, Christiona Batey; his father, James Swafford of Murfreesboro; his brother, Julian (Tarra) Johnson of Murfreesboro; his sister, Nika (Josh) Bennett of Murfreesboro; his great uncle, James Batey of Woodbury; and a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Visitation with the family will be held at Gentry-Smith Funeral Home on Friday, May 13, 2022 from 12-1 pm. Memorial services will be held directly after on Friday, May 13, 2022 at 1 pm in the Gentry-Smith Funeral Home chapel. Brother Demetrius Desnoes will officiate.

Support the family with memories and condolences at www.gentrysmithfuneralhome.com Gentry-Smith Funeral Home, 303 Murfreesboro Rd., Woodbury, TN 37190, 615-563-5337, Because every life has a story

Joe L. Shelton, age 75, of Woodbury passed away Wednesday, May 4, 2022 at St. Thomas Rutherford Hospital.  He was born in Cannon County on March 2, 1947 to his parents, the Late Jim Henry & Carrie Young Shelton.

Survivors include his daughter, Penny Rains Forstel of Murfreesboro; son, Paul (Tonia) Hollandsworth of Artisia, NM; and Siblings, Ann Smothers of Tulsa, OK, Jim White Duke of Woodbury, Alvin C. (Sandy) Shelton of Centertown, Emma Shelton of Woodbury, & Dale Shelton of Woodbury.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife Jo Ann Shelton; and his siblings, Carney Shelton, Nina McMahan, & Albert Shelton.

He was a member of the Pentecostal Church and was a veteran in the Army where he served in Vietnam.  He owned a landscaping, green house, & garden center business.

Funeral Services will be 12 Noon Saturday in the Chapel of Woodbury Funeral Home with Bro. Bryan Carlos Sadler officiating.  Interment will follow at Cherry Cemetery.  The family will receive friends for the visitation from 4 PM to 8 PM Friday, May 6, 2022.

Woodbury Funeral Home, 615.563.2311, www.woodburyfuneralhome.net