Obituaries

Ola Frances Duggin, 72, passed away Wednesday, July 13, 2022 at her home in Morrison.  She was a native of Warren Co, the daughter of the late Mitchell & Bessie Higgins Leeman. .

She is survived by her husband of 54 years, Virgil Duggin of Morrison; 3 children, David Duggin of Woodbury, Chad (Kimberly) Duggin of Murfreesboro and Susan (Michael) Wrenn of Manchester; 5 grandchildren, Alex, Austin and Ethan Duggin, Amy and Emily Wrenn, sisters, Agnes (Marvin) Smith of Murfreesboro, Lyda Hockett of Manchester and Janie Pirtle of Murfreesboro and sister-in-law, Judy Leeman of Manchester.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her sister, Mildred (Donald) Duke, brother, Melvin Leeman, brothers-in-law, Basiel Hockett and Ron Pirtle.

A member of Red Hill Church of Christ, Mrs. Duggin was retired from State Farm Insurance and Bank of Commerce.  Her favorite hobby was spending time with her grandchildren.

Funeral services will be 2:00 pm Saturday, July 16, 2022 in the Chapel of Woodbury Funeral Home with Bro. Carl Witty and Bro. Mark Parkhurst officiating. Interment will follow at Riverside cemetery. 
 
Visitation with her family will be Friday, July 15, 2022 from 4 pm until 8 pm.  
 
Woodbury Funeral Home, 615-563-2311.  To leave condolences and memories for her family, please visit www.woodburyfuneralhome.net

Georgia Dale Gannon, 86,, of Murfreesboro passed away Wednesday, July 13, 2022 at Stones River Manor Advanced Care.  She was a native of the Gassaway community of Cannon Co.

She is survived by her children, Steve (Rhonda) Gannon of McMinnville, Garry (Ann) Gannon of Rockwood, Claire Risa (Butch) Hahn of Murfreesboro and her grandson, Michael Hahn of Murfreesboro. Several nieces and nephews also survive.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Paul Monroe Givan and Ruby Elizbeth George Givan and her husband, Clarence Gannon.

A member of Kingwood Church of Christ, Ms. Gannon was a homemaker.  She enjoyed quilting, playing the piano and cooking.  She also enjoyed gospel music especially Friday night singing at her church.

The family would like to thank the staff of Stones River Manor Advanced Care and Alive hospice for the wonderful care and concern for Ms. Georgia.

Funeral services will be 10:00 AM Saturday, July 16, 2022 in the Chapel of Woodbury Funeral Home with Bro. Mike Gann officiating. Interment will follow at Roselawn cemetery. 
 
Visitation with her family will be Friday, July 15, 2022 from 4 pm until 8 pm.  
 
Woodbury Funeral Home, 615-563-2311.  To leave condolences and memories for her family, please visit www.woodburyfuneralhome.net

Mrs. Judy E. Neufell, 74, of Bradyville, Tennessee passed away on Thursday, July 7, 2022. She was born in Woodbury, Tennessee on Monday, March 8, 1948. Preceding her in death were her parents, John R. and E. Ruth Simmons Barnett; her husband, Paul Neufell, Sr.; and her granddaughter, Megan Neufell.

She is survived by her son Larry (Tammy Skeen) Lowe of Fall Branch; step-son, Paul (Shannon Robbins) Neufell, Jr. of Woodbury; ex-daughter-in-law, Valeria (Tim) Brewer, brother, James Randall Barnett of McMinnville; grandchildren, Courtney (Zack) Dixon of Woodbury, Faith (JT) Allen, Christina Neufell Hampton, and Samantha Neufell; great grandchildren, Blain, Canaan, and Eden; and nephew, Nathan Barnett and dear friend of over 50 years, Wanda Robinson and close friend, Dinah Cawthorne, and special friend and neighbor, Bethany Frisen.

A business woman at her core, Judy was a workaholic and frequently worked 7 days a week. Determined and a hard worker, Judy was a woman with the grit to get the job done. Larry remembers her starting a garbage route in Smyrna, LaVergne, and Antioch when he was young. The company’s name was Dependable, and she would also use her tractor trailer trucks to run her business J & L Trucking. This must have been when Larry decided to become a truck driver.  She was always quick to tell people she was proud of him getting his CDL. Whatever someone needed is what they did. It didn’t matter if it was a short or long haul, and her reputation for business preceded her, which led to them getting bought out by BFI.

Being an entrepreneur, Judy learned quickly to say what you mean and mean what you say. She could cut up with the best of them but also knew when it was time to get down to business and be blunt. If business was involved, she didn’t worry too much about what others thought or if it hurt their feelings. She was going to tell you like it was and not sugar coat it. So once she got entrepreneurial ventures out of her system, Judy made the seamless transition to working as a machine operator.

She began at Paramount Packaging and stayed there for 27 years, even having the opportunity to tap back into her business skills and go to Canada as a representative for the company. After that, she saw the need for caregivers and devoted her time to sitting with and caring for the elderly. Even after her stroke in 2015, she was determined to get back on the horse working. Things just didn’t pan out the way she had planned, but Judy used her savviness to make the most of every situation.

Serving in many different capacities over the course of her life, Judy had to have a favorite, and the most cherished title of all was “Granny.” At the age of 41, she took 14-month old Courtney home with her. It wasn’t until Courtney that Judy slowed down to smell the roses for a while. She and Paul would take Courtney and Megan to Memphis to see Graceland and the zoo. Once Courtney met Aaron Tippin at Chuck E. Cheese.  She convinced him to call Judy and sing his song, “Stand For Something” over the phone because Judy loved it so much.  They enjoyed time listening to Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn together, and Courtney remembers Judy’s time attending Plainview Baptist Church when her health was still good enough.

She raised Courtney in the way she should go, and it created a special bond between the two. Like two peas in a pod, they quickly became best friends, and Courtney remained quick to call Granny to tell her about the day or what was happening. That relationship blossomed even more when Courtney had Blain. The great grandchildren were Judy’s world, and she loved them dearly. The only things in her life close to reaching that level of love were her pets. Athena and Luna were her dogs, and Stinker, Oreo, and Sammie were her cats. But all of them were her babies.

Visitation will be held at Gentry-Smith Funeral Home on Monday, July 11, 2022 from 4-8 pm. Funeral services will be Tuesday, July 12, 2022 at 12 pm in the Gentry-Smith Funeral Home chapel. Bro. Charlie Bowman will officiate. Interment will be in Gilley Hill Cemetery.

Share 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.

Maxey Leon Spain, age 81, of Woodbury passed away Tuesday, July 5, 2022 at St. Thomas Stones River.  He was a native of Springfield, Tennessee.

Survivors include his sons, Ralph Larry Spain of New Market, AL & Edward Lee Spain of Springfield; Companion, Madonna Lynn Kennedy of Woodbury; Brothers & Sisters, Dale Spain, Bobby Spain, Linda Spain, & Michael Spain; Grandchildren, Brian Spain, Kenneth Spain, Phillip Spain, & Samantha Spain. Several nieces & nephews also survive.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Marion Sylvanus & Dorothy Elizabeth Nelson Spain.

He was retired from Roadway Express as a truck driver, loved riding his four wheeler, watching his deer cam, and spending time with his dog.

A private graveside service will be held at a later date.

Woodbury Funeral Home, 615.563.2311, www.woodburyfuneralhome.net

Benton Tyler Martin, age 29, of Woodbury passed away Wednesday, July 6, 2022 at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.  He was born on October 29, 1992 in Murfreesboro.

Survivors include his mother, Lisa (Donnie) Thomas of Woodbury; Father, Steve Martin of Manchester; Sisters, Amber (Caleb) Milligan of Woodbury & Erica Martin of Woodbury; Nieces, Ava Grace, Paislee Joy, & Sadie Annalise; Best Friend, Nicholas Young of Morrison; Step Brother, Chris Thomas of Woodbury; and Nephew, Brayden Thomas of Woodbury.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Richard & Virginia Briggs and Ralph & Ruby Martin.

Tyler attended the Woodbury Methodist Church and worked in Construction.  He loved playing softball and was very athletic.  He loved to spend time with his family.

Funeral Services will be at 3 PM Saturday, July 9, 2022 in the Chapel of Woodbury Funeral Home with Bro. Greg Mitchell officiating.  Interment will follow at King Cemetery.  Visitation will be from 12 PM until time of the service.

Woodbury Funeral Home, 615.563.2311, www.woodburyfuneralhome.net

Jodi Michelle Kelch, age 55, of Woodbury passed away Friday, July 1, 2022 at St. Thomas Rutherford Hospital.  She was a native of Marion, Indiana.

Survivors include his husband, Kent Kelch of Woodbury; Daughters, Kristen Hurst of Woodbury & Nichole Knight of McMinnville; Stepsons, Krik Kelch of Woodbury & Dereck Kelch of Smryna; and Brother, Jeff Cruz of Murfreesboro.  Several nieces & nephews also survive.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Juan Cruz & Dora Allie Forbes Hull.

Jodi worked in the medical field as a billing & coding specialist and was a member of the Cannon Co. Walking Horse Association.

Funeral Services will be at 4 PM Friday, July 8, 2022 in the Chapel of Woodbury Funeral Home with Bro. Greg Mitchell officiating.  Interment will follow at Amity Cemetery.  Visitation with the family will be from 11 AM until 4 PM Friday, July 8, 2022.

Woodbury Funeral Home, 615.563.2311, www.woodburyfuneralhome.net

J. Kevin Lewis entered into the arms of Jesus on Friday, July 1, 2022.  His father & uncle were there to welcome him home.

Kevin was born on March 19, 1999 to Edward & Linda Lewis in Bradyville, Tennessee.  He was preceded in death by his father & special uncle, John Highland.

He is survived by his mother, Linda Lewis; brothers, Mark (Brenda) Lewis, Roger (Norma) Lewis, & Ken Lewis; his sister, Kayla (Chris) Talmage; Nephews, Matt (Beth) Lewis, Dan (Heather) Lewis, Jared (Candace) Lewis, & Everett (Tommy) Talmage; Nieces, Carter, Tori, Kinsley, Ashlynn, & Oaklynn Talmage; Special Aunt, Lucille Palmer; and Special Friends, Hayden Steele, Bob Ally, & Ben Townes.

He was born into this life with numerous medical issues, which he never let hinder his optimistic outlook on life.  He always had a big smile which lit up any room & a hug for everyone he came in contact with, as he never met a stranger.  To know him was to love him.

He always enjoyed watching his cartoons & playing with his cars & trucks.  He loved his family, friends, God, & enjoyed going to church.

Funeral Services will be at 2 PM Friday, July 8, 2022 in the Chapel of Woodbury Funeral with Bro. Tom Watkins, Bro. Smitty, & Bro. Steve Goforth officiating.  Interment will follow at Parker Hill Cemetery.  Visitation with his family will be from 11 AM to 2 PM Friday, July 8, 2022 at Woodbury Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Woodbury Funeral Home to help the family with funeral expenses. Due to Kevin being autistic and epileptic, this made him ineligible for life insurance.

Woodbury Funeral Home, 615.563.2311, www.woodburyfuneralhome.net

Carl Dennis Thomas, 74, of the Iconium community passed away Wednesday, June 29, 2022 at Viviant Healthcare and Rehab.    He was a native of Cannon Co. and his parents were the late Leburn and Flossie Bowen Thomas. 

He is survived by his cousin, Carl “Bubba” Russell and his wife, Shannon of Murfreesboro.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brothers, Gail, Kenneth and Steve Thomas.  Dennis was retired and in his earlier years, he did auto detail for Jennings Motors.

Visitation with his family will be after 10 am Friday, July 1, 2022 at Woodbury Funeral Home. Graveside services will follow at 11:30 am at Iconium cemetery with Bro. Greg Mitchell officiating. 

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

Ms. Rebecca Ann Floyd, 35, of Rush, Colorado passed away on Saturday, June 18, 2022. She was born in Alabama on Wednesday, October 8, 1986. Preceding her in death were her parents, Charles Edward and Bobbie Jean Floyd, Sr. and brothers, Charles Edward Floyd, Jr., John Floyd, and Jared Floyd.

She is survived by her children, Katlynn Holt, Aliyah Floyd, Teyah Corn, Bianca Salgado, and Victor Salgado; grandmother, Peggy Daniels; sisters, Angela Floyd and Abigail Dyer; several aunts and uncles; and numerous nieces and nephews.

If you ever met Rebecca, there were a couple of things you would have remembered. The first being that she always had a smile on her face. She had an outgoing personality and a friendly disposition that combined with her smile made you feel invited to sit down and talk for a while. Those characteristics made her well liked just about everywhere she went, even when she decided to take her heaping dose of Southern hospitality up north and moved to Colorado.

The second thing you’d remember about Rebecca was she had a good heart. She was someone who would do anything for anybody, and that wasn’t limited to people. Rebecca also loved animals and hoped to one day start a farm. She’d take notes on every animal, but the one she studied the most was her boxer mix, Chloe. After being rescued, Chloe became Rebecca’s service dog for her seizures, and the two shared a special bond.

Due to Rebecca’s personal experience with health problems, she felt called to combine her warm personality and good heart to make a career in medicine. Rebecca worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant and only lacked 3 months in school before finishing her degree to become a Licensed Practical Nurse. If you talked to her for long, she was bound to start talking about her job and sharing her experiences.

When Rebecca wasn’t working, she enjoyed tapping in to her more adventurous side. It didn’t matter if she was out in nature or at an amusement park; Rebecca just wanted to be outdoors. She’d go swimming and camping out in the State and National Parks in Colorado, and Katlynn remembers their trip to the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs.

With Katlynn being the oldest, she and Rebecca would spend lots of time together. They’d go out to eat and just have some one-on-one girl time. She even got Rebecca on TikTok, and Rebecca would share videos of her kids and, of course, Chloe. Growing up Rebecca spent quite a bit of time with her grandmother, Peggy. Peggy emphasized the importance of family and togetherness by taking Rebecca to church as a little girl. Many of those life lessons were ones Rebecca had in mind to fall back on as she grew up.

Visitation will be held at Gentry-Smith Funeral Home on Wednesday, June 29, 2022 from 1-4 pm. Funeral services will follow on Wednesday, June 29, 2022 at 4 pm in the Gentry-Smith Funeral Home chapel. Tim Gentry will officiate. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to assist with expenses.

Share 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

Mr. Avon Conley, 89, of Woodbury, Tennessee passed away on Friday, June 24, 2022. He was born to the late Ed and Avaree Duncan Conley in Woodbury on October 19, 1932 and was content staying here the rest of his life. Preceding him in death was his son, Barry Conley.

He is survived by his wife of nearly 62 years, Sue Conley; daughters, Terri (Lee) Barnett of Smyrna and Rena Sissom of Murfreesboro; brother, Don (Wanda) Conley of Nashville; grandchildren, Logan (Kristin) Sissom of Chattanooga and Michelle Barnett of Smyrna; great grandson, Nolan Sissom; cousin, Ruth Curlee of Woodbury; and brother-in-law, Jerry Rogers of Readyville.

Avon was raised to enjoy responsibility. He farmed with his father, and they transferred their discipline, work ethic, and timeliness into quail hunting. Together, they trained bird dogs, and when Avon was outperforming his father, he’d like to pick saying, “I’ll kill the next one for you.” That usually lead to a quick and disgruntled response of, “I’ll kill my own.”

After graduating with the class of ’50 from Woodbury Central High School, he gave himself a few years before deciding to join the Army. Avon severed overseas in Korea for 2 years following the end of the Korean War. Returning home, he decided to take on a new responsibility and help out at his parent’s country store. It was there he met the love of his life, Sue.

Sue and her friends lived close by and would go over to watch wrestling at the neighbor’s house. It became tradition to cross the creek and get cold drinks and peanuts from the country store. Once Avon got to noticing Sue, he was smitten. He would say he had a flat tire to work on just to get to see her a little bit longer. His tactic must have paid off because in September 1960, they got married.

Prepared to take on the responsibility as protector and provider, Avon bought Owenby Farm and fixed it up for them to live there. Being quite the craftsman and carpenter, Avon turned Owenby Farm into their permanent home. As lifetime members of Bethlehem Church of Christ, Avon and Sue knew their home wasn’t complete without deep roots in faith. So when they decided to expand their family, they had the foundation they needed for all of the challenges life threw their way.

In fact, Avon enjoyed responsibility, challenges, and working so much that he decided he was content doing it the rest of his life. Earlier in their marriage, Avon followed in the footsteps of his uncle, Farris Conley, and served as Justice of the Peace for a little while and Sheriff from ’72-’74. The time he served was about all he wanted, and then, Avon refocused his energy back toward the farm.

He had a limestone excavating business that provided stone used at Stones River Battlefield, Music Row, Alan Jackson’s house, George Jones’ house, Natchez Trace, Trevecca Nazarene University, and several other prominent locations. His stone was used to make anything from decorative mailboxes and rock walls to fine houses and grandeur entrances. Avon also knew how to build with his materials and even had a sawmill for a while when he built his and Sue’s house and Rena’s house.

Throughout all of it, Avon kept on farming, so needless to say, his family wasn’t the vacationing kind. He raised Black Angus as well as Hereford cattle, and when he wasn’t working with his livestock, he was cutting hay, repairing equipment, or working on something else around the farm. If he didn’t have a part to fix something, he’d make it, and if he couldn’t make it, he’d finally grit his teeth and go to the store.

Avon inherited his frugal mindset from his father, and they kept farming together until Ed was no longer able to. The thought of paying someone to help him farm didn’t even cross Avon’s mind. Sue quickly got elected to be his new helper. Not knowing anything about the tractor, Sue would get Avon to turn it on and get it in gear for her to rake the hay. And don’t think the girls got out of work. Avon kept them busy in the garden weeding and harvesting the crop.

Work was Avon’s life and hobby. He knew, just like Adam, God had made him to work and to fulfill his duties for the many hats he wore. He was a son, a brother, a husband, a father, a friend, a Christian, and so much more, but in all things, he strived to be a worker for the Lord.

Visitation will be held at Gentry-Smith Funeral Home on Monday, June 27, 2022 from 10 am – 2 pm. Funeral services will be Monday, June 27, 2022 at 2 pm in the Gentry-Smith Funeral Home chapel. Dr. Earl Sutton will officiate. Interment will be in Cherry Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Alive Hospice, the National Kidney Foundation, or a charity of your choice.

Share 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