76 year old Doyle Phillips of Brush Creek died Sunday at Alive Hospice Nashville. The body is at Avant Funeral Home in Alexandria where the funeral will be Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. Paul Violet will officiate and burial will be in the Brush Creek Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Tuesday from 2:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. and Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. until the service time at 1:00 p.m. Phillips is survived by his wife of 49 years, Betty Lankford Phillips of Brush Creek. Two sons and daughters-in-law, William and Donna Phillips of Brush Creek and Jerry and Barbara Phillips of Carthage. Grandchildren, Jonah Phillips and Carly Phillips both of Brush Creek. Step grandchildren, Rodney, Nelson, and Tanya Lapointe of Canada and Chris LaPointe of Brush Creek. Memorials may be made to the Mount View Primitive Church in Smithville. Avant Funeral Home in Alexandria is in charge of the arrangements.
Author Archive: Dwayne Page
Walter Gray Foster
60 year old Walter Gray Foster of Smithville died Saturday night at University Medical Center in Lebanon. He was a member of the Spring Street The Baptist Church, a Mason and member of the Liberty Lodge #77, and he was retired from Carrier. The funeral will be Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. at DeKalb Funeral Chapel. Barry Whittaker, Robert Pollard, and James Wright will officiate and burial will be in DeKalb Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be Monday from 10:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. and Tuesday from 9:00 a.m. until the time of the service at 4:00 p.m. He was preceded in death by his parents, Claude Jackson and Lucille Young Foster; his first wife, Martha Ann Foster; a step-daughter, Vivian Garrison; and a brother, Jimmy Kenneth Foster. Survivors include his wife, Brenda Foster of Smithville. A daughter, Kathy and her husband Kirt Martin of Smithville. A step-son, Tallis and his wife Nancy Cantrell. Grandchildren, Ryan Herron, Shannon and Kim Pirtle, Chad Pirtle, and Talisa Cantrell. Brothers, Claude Eugene Foster of Smithville; Aubrey and his wife Mary Foster of Morris, Illinois; Joe Thomas and his wife Sue Foster of Smithville; and Donald Ray and his wife Linda Foster of McMinnville. A sister, Juanita and her husband Charlie Agee of Smithville. Sisters-in-law, Stacey Foster and Glenda Winchester both of Smithville. Brothers-in-law, Len Gay of Virginia and Ken Gay of Indiana. DeKalb Funeral Chalel is in charge of the arrangements.
Three “Teachers of the Year” Selected to Compete for Regional Honors
The DeKalb County School System has announced that three educators, Joyce Alexander, Lisa Cripps, and Harriett Cantrell have been selected “Teachers of the Year” locally and will compete for regional honors in the Tennessee Teacher of the Year Program.
These teachers were chosen from a group of local educators in three categories (levels of teaching) Pre- Kindergarten to Fourth Grade- Alexander; Fifth to Eighth Grade- Cripps; and Ninth through Twelfth Grade- Cantrell.
The Tennessee Teacher of the Year Program is designed to promote recognition, respect and appreciation for teachers; to stimulate interest in teaching as a career; and to encourage public involvement in education.
This program is sponsored annually by the Tennessee Department of Education and the Niswonger Foundation.
The Tennessee Teacher of the Year represents Tennessee at the National Teacher of the Year competition, which is sponsored by the Council of Chief State School Officers and Scholastic, Inc.
Teachers of the Year are selected competitively through five cycles: Building, System, Field Service Center Region, Grand Division and State; and from three categories (levels of teaching); Grades Pre K-4, 5-8, 9-12.
Teachers selected at each cycle receive local recognition and awards underwritten by local sources. State recognition/awards include a banquet honoring the nine State Teacher of the Year finalists and certificates of appreciation from the Governor. In addition, the State Finalists and the State Teacher of the Year receive cash awards from the Niswonger Foundation.
The initial group of teachers included Janet Woodward, Janet Trapp, Lisa Mabe, and Joyce Alexander in the Pre K to 4th grade category; Susan Robinson, Amanda Griffith, Janet England, and Lisa Cripps in the 5th to 8th grade division; and Mary Anne Carpenter, Charlotte Wruble, and Harriett Cantrell in the 9th-12th grade teaching category.
Two Arrested by Sheriff’s Department in Separate Theft Cases
The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department has charged two men in separate theft investigations since Friday. Meanwhile, 18 year old Lillian Elezabeth Sosa, an illegal immigrant, has been picked up by the Department of Immigration and may soon be deported to Mexico.
Sheriff Patrick Ray says the detectives charged 29 year old Richard Mooney of Armstrong Road, Watertown on Friday with a theft which occurred at a residence on Poplar Road in DeKalb County on October 4th, 2007.
Mooney is charged with burglary and theft of property over $1,000. Sheriff Ray says Mooney allegedly took a 1965 Dodge 1 ton flatbed truck, and various pieces of metal and tin from the residence. Mooney’s bond was set at $30,000 and his court date is March 20th.
Meanwhile on Saturday, DeKalb Sheriff’s Department detectives charged 26 year old William Travis Malone of Curtis Avenue, Alexandria with burglary and theft of property over $10,000.
Sheriff Ray says on February 21st, Malone allegedly took 8 rings, 2 watches, and a necklace valued at over $15,000 and $80.00 in change from a vehicle on Curtis Avenue in Alexandria. Detectives were able to recover some of the stolen rings which Malone had sold to a business in Smithville. Malone allegedly admitted to county detectives his involvement in the theft. Malone’s bond was set at $75,000 and his court date is March 20th.
Sheriff Ray says Lillian Elezabeth Sosa was picked up by the Department of Immigration at the DeKalb County Jail Monday. The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department was contacted by the Department of Immigration last week in regards to Sosa’s deportation. Sosa has been taken to Nashville to the Davidson County Jail and she will be held, pending arrangements to transport her back to Mexico. Sheriff Ray says “We have been informed by the Department of Immigration that every attempt will be made to deport any illegal alien, who has been charged with any felony criminal offense or has any prior record of deportation from the U.S.”
Sosa pleaded guilty last week to abuse of a corpse in DeKalb County Criminal Court and received a two year sentence, all suspended to time served. She was given credit for the 130 days she has been in custody from October 26th, 2007 to March 4th, 2008. She was to be released on Department of Corrections probation Monday, March 10th.
DeKalb County Jobless Rate Inches Up to 5.2% In January
DeKalb County’s unemployment rate for January was 5.2%, up from 5% in December and 4.9% in January, 2007.
DeKalb County’s Labor Force in January was 10,330. A total of 9,790 were employed and 540 were unemployed.
Meanwhile, Tennessee’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for January 2008 was released last week at 4.9 percent, 0.1 percent lower than the revised December 2007 rate of 5.0 percent. The United States unemployment rate for the month of January was also 4.9 percent.
County non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for January 2008, show that 89 counties increased. The rate decreased in four counties and remained the same in two counties. County unemployment rates are not be seasonally adjusted and therefore reflect seasonal expansions and layoffs that occur during the year. The state and U.S. unemployment rates are seasonally adjusted to eliminate normal seasonal fluctuations and to indicate a more accurate measurement of actual economic change.
Williamson County registered the state’s lowest county unemployment rate at 3.5 percent, the same as the December 2007 rate. Pickett County had the state’s highest at 10.7 percent, up from 9.5 in December, followed by Perry County at 10.2 percent, up from 9.0 in December.
Knox County had the state’s lowest major metropolitan rate at 3.8 percent, up from 3.7 in December. Davidson County was 4.2 percent, up from 4.1 in December. Hamilton County was at 4.6 percent, up from 4.3 in December, and Shelby County was 5.6 percent, up from the December rate of 5.4.
J.M. Cantrell
75 year old J.M. Cantrell of Smithville died Friday at the Summit Medical Center in Nashville. He was a member of the Smithville Cumberland Presbyterian Church and a farmer. The funeral will be Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. at DeKalb Funeral Chapel. David Mahan and E.H. Denman, Jr. will officiate and burial will be in DeKalb Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be Sunday from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.; Monday from 9:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m.; and Tuesday from 9:00 a.m. until the time of the service at 2:00 p.m. He was preceded in death by his parents, Herbert Aaron and Maggie May Messick Cantrell and a brother, Herbert Cantrell, Jr. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy Jean Cantrell of Smithville. Three children, Jada, Stefan, and Kyle Cantrell all of Smithville. Two grandchildren, Delena and Sayla Cantrell. Two sisters, Bessie Delene Webb of Smithville and Mary Priest of Crossville. Several nieces and nephews and a special friend, Hoyte Hale of Smithville. DeKalb Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.
Adelyn Jackson
79 year old Adelyn Jackson of Brush Creek died Thursday at DeKalb Community Hospital. The funeral will be Sunday at 2:00 p.m. at the Hickman Baptist Church. Donald Elmore and Robert Dewitt Agee will officiate and burial will be in the Brush Creek Cemetery. The Jackson family will receive friends at Avant Funeral Home on Saturday from 2:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. and Sunday at the Hickman Baptist Church from 12:30 p.m. until the service time at 2:00 p.m. She is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law, Marily and James Gorski of Murfreesboro and Elaine and Charles “Bud” Inman of Brush Creek. Four grandsons, Joshua and Brandi Morgan of Fort Lewis, Washington; Jonathan Morgan of Murfreesboro; Chris and Leann Inman of Riddleton; and Brent Inman of Cookeville. Great grandchildren, Briona Inman and Drew Inman. Step great grandchildren, Hali Woodard and Hunter Woodard. Two brothers and sisters-in-law, Larry Ford and Lillia Mae Thomas of Columbia and Lewis Carol and Mary Lou Thomas of Pennsylvania. Avant Funeral Home in Alexandria is in charge of the arrangements.
Karl Lee Gothard
74 year old Karl Lee Gothard of Smithville died Friday at his residence. He was retired from the L & N Railroad and he ran a cattle operation for many years. He was a member of the Smithville First Baptist Church and the Tennessee Limousine Association. The funeral will be Sunday at 3:00 p.m. at the Chapel of Love-Cantrell Funeral Home. Burial will be in Whorton Springs Cemetery. Visitation will be Sunday from 11:00 a.m. until the time of the service at 3:00 p.m. He was preceded in death by his parents, W.L. “Lee” and Athon Taylor Gothard and two sisters, Sarah Frances Chamberlain and Georgia Johns. Survivors include a son, Randy and his wife Joy Gothard of Cookeville. Two daughters, Martha Jane Partridge of Lebanon and Sarah Smith of Brentwood. Six grandchildren, Brittany Gothard of Kodak, Adam Gothard of Cookeville, Matthew Beard of Lebanon, John and Luke Partridge of Lebanon, and Abby Smith of Brentwood. One brother, Walter Gothard of Nashville. Two sisters, Alice McClairy of Nashville and Lillian Rice of Smithville. Several nieces and nephews also survive. Love-Cantrell Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. The family has asked that all donations please be made to the Smithville First Baptist Church building fund, in lieu of flowers.
Virginia Bland Patton
84 year old Virginia Bland Patton of Knoxville and formerly of Watertown died Wednesday at Parkwest Hospital in Knoxville. Born in Watertown, she was a homemaker and a member of the First Presbyterian Church. The funeral will be Saturday at 11:00 a.m. at Hunter Funeral Home in Watertown. Dr. Paul Rader will officiate and burial will be in the Jones Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be Friday from 3:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. until the time of the service. She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles Wilson Patton and parents, Clark and Virgie Hubbard Bland. Survivors include a son, Perry and his wife Dorothy Patton of Nashville. Three daughters, Sharon and her husband Raymond McCord of Knoxville, Marilyn and her husband Mark Willoughby of Alexandria, and Celeste and her husband John Whaley of Knoxville. A sister, Joyce and her husband Neil Lokey of Murfreesboro. Grandchildren, Charlie and Sarah Patton, Terrie Patton Johnson, Amanda Corley, Rachel Patton McCord, Andrew Whaley, Brittany Willoughby, and Luke Willoughby. Great grandchildren, Rocky Johnson, Brandon Johnson, Summer Patton, and Conner Patton. Hunter Funeral Home in Watertown is in charge of the arrangements.
Harrison Lee Hale
54 year old Harrison Lee Hale of Lafayette died Thursday at the University Medical Center in Lebanon. Born in Murfreesboro, Hale was a Chef and a member of the Gladeville Missionary Baptist Church. The funeral will be Sunday at 3:00 p.m. at Hunter Funeral Home in Watertown. Robert McFarland will officiate and burial will be in the Jones Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be Sunday from 10:00 a.m. until the service time. He was preceded in death by his parents, Selmer and Dorothy Carter Hale. Survivors include a companion, Melissa Wright of Lafayette. Two sons, Daniel and Timothy Hale. Two brothers, James Hale of Rockvale and Dewey Hale of Murfreesboro. Three aunts, Bea and her husband Kenneth Christian of Watertown, Lucille Ferrell of Alexandria, and Dellia Mae and her husband Richard Poston of Smithville. An uncle, L.W. Hale of Alexandria. Hunter Funeral Home in Watertown is in charge of the arrangements.