58 year old Gloria Jean Lawrence of Smithville died Saturday at her residence. She was a homemaker and a member of the Brethren In Christ. A graveside service will be held Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. at DeKalb Memorial Gardens. Larry Steffee will officiate. She was preceded in death by her parents, Frank “Buffalo” and Emogene Lawrence; a brother, Leonard Lane Lawrence; and a niece, Mandy Gayle Winchester. Survivors include three daughters, Sherrie and her husband Johnny Bluhm, Melissa and her husband Homer Petty, and Donna Estes all of Smithville. Two grandsons, Andy Checchi of Florida and Anthony Petty of Smithville. One special grandson, Christopher Lawrence of Springfield. Five granddaughters, Kerry Johnson, Misty Walker, Misty Petty, Amy and Kasey Estes all of Smithville. Four great grandchildren, Aaliyah and Isaiah Cummings, Hannah and Issas Walker all of Smithville. Three brothers, Frank and Shelly Lawrence, Ricky Lawrence, and Michael Lawrence all of Smithville. A sister, Julie and her husband Bobby Pulley of Springfield. Love-Cantrell Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. The family requests that donations be made, in lieu of flowers, to the DeKalb County Humane Society and the American Cancer Society.
Author Archive: Dwayne Page
Hazel Belle Tisdale McDowell
71 year old Hazel Belle Tisdale McDowell of Dowelltown died Tuesday night at NHC Health Care Center in Smithville. The funeral will be Friday at 2:00 p.m. at the Gordonsville Chapel of Bass Funeral Home. Jimmy Tisdale and James Lee Williams will officiate and burial will follow in the Gordonsville Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the Gordonsville Chapel on Thursday from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. and Friday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service at 2:00 p.m. She is survived by two sisters, Ethel Williams of Paducah, Kentucky and Eva Mullican of Detroit, Michigan. Four brothers, John and his wife Floy Tisdale of White House, Lloyd Tisdale of Smithville, Willie and his wife Peggy Tisdale of Hickman, and Bobby and his wife Pannie Tisdale of New Middleton. A sister-in-law, Ruby Tisdale of Lebanon. The Gordonsville Chapel of Bass Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
TBI Arrests Former Sheriff’s Deputy For Rape
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has arrested a former Dekalb County Sheriff?s deputy on a host of charges including rape.
David Stanley Sharp was charged Monday by the DeKalb County Grand Jury, in sealed indictments, on two counts of rape, two counts of official misconduct, one count of sexual battery and one count of official oppression.
The TBI began investigating Sharp in June after two women came forward complaining that he had pulled them over and demanded sexual favors. Sharp has posted a $10,000 bond.
Robert Harry Hooper
81 year old Robert Harry Hooper of Smithville died Monday at River Park Hospital in McMinnville. He was a member of the Whorton Springs Baptist Church and a retired self employed carpenter. The funeral will be held Thursday at 2:00 p.m. at the chapel of Love-Cantrell Funeral Home. David Mahan will officiate and burial will be in Whorton Springs Cemetery. He was preceded in death by his parents, Douglas and Maggie Turner Hooper; three brothers, Allen Hooper, Clyde Hooper, and Eddie Hooper. One sister, Louise Story. Survivors include his wife, Billie Ruth Webb Hooper; one son, Tommy Hooper; two daughters and sons-in-law, Brenda and Henry Roberson and Kathy and David Hendrixson all of Smithville. One grandson, Gregory and his wife Kayla Hooper of McMinnville. Two granddaughters, Sondja and Todd McLaughlin of Smithville and Christy and Mark Steel of Cookeville. Two great granddaughters, Jacklyne McLaughlin of Smithville and Kristen Steel of Cookeville. Three brothers and sisters-in-law, T.M. and Juanita Hooper of Smithville, Jack and Marlys Hooper of California, and Billy and his wife Mary Jane Hooper of Smithville. Several nieces and nephews also survive. Visitation will be Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m.. Love-Cantrell Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Beulah Belle Jennings
93 year old Beulah Belle “Shorty” Jennings of Alexandria died Sunday at her residence. She was a teacher and a member of the New Hope Baptist Church. She was born in Burkesville, Kentucky. The funeral will be Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. at the chapel of Anderson Funeral Home in Alexandria. Ronnie Smith will officiate. Burial will be in the Vanatta Cemetery. Visitation will be Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service. She was preceded in death by her parents, Walter and Ada Kate Wisdom Mayfield; her husband, Charles P. Jennings; daughters, Jolene and Charlene Jennings; a son, Bill Jennings; a sister, Clara; a half-sister, Louise; and brothers, Walter, Edward,and Lawrence. She is survived by children, Daris and her husband Jimmy Mullinax and Bob and his wife Cheryl Jennings all of Alexandria. A half-sister, Betty Coleman of Celina. Grandchildren, Ria and her husband Ricky Baker of Alexandria, Beki and her husband John Scott Morgan of Huntsville, Alabama, Stacy and her husband Dewayne Martin of Alexandria, Bryan and his wife Tonya Jennings of Grant, Mike and his wife Leslie Emmy of Lebanon, Angie and her husband Mike Choate of Cookeville, and Dustin Jennings, Christopher Jennings, and Crystal Jennings all of Panama City, Florida. Great grandchildren, Tori and Derrick Baker and Zack and Ethan Martin all of Alexandria, Allie and Grayson Emmy of Lebanon, Haley and Katie Choate of Cookeville, and Josie and Hannah Jennings of Grant. Several nieces and nephews also survive. Anderson Funeral Home in Alexandria is in charge of the arrangements.
Jewell Brown Ferrell
75 year old Mr. Jewell Brown Ferrell died Monday morning at DeKalb Community Hospital. The body is at DeKalb Funeral Chapel. Arrangements are incomplete
Johnson Gets Life Prison Sentence In First Degree Murder Case
33 year old Michael E. Johnson of Sparta, charged in the fatal shooting of another Sparta man in January, appeared in DeKalb County Criminal Court Monday and entered a guilty plea to first degree murder. Judge Leon Burns,Jr. gave him a life prison sentence under a negotiated settlement with state prosecutors.
Johnson appeared before Judge Lillie Ann Sells last month to enter the plea, but when she learned that Johnson had previously been treated for a mental condition and was no longer under a doctor’s care or taking medication, she refused to accept a plea and instead ordered Johnson to undergo a mental evaluation at Plateau Mental Health Center in Cookeville to determine his competency to stand trial or enter a plea in the case.
Johnson underwent the evaluation later and was found to be competent.
Johnson and a co-defendant, 26 year old Tina Rose Bain, were each indicted by a DeKalb County Grand Jury in April on charges of first degree murder, attempted first degree murder, felony murder, and theft over $1,000.
Under the agreement, the other three counts against Johnson were dismissed upon his plea to the first degree murder charge.
Johnson and Bain were charged in the shooting death of 21 year old David Anthony Welch of Sparta and the wounding of 23 year old Heather Trapp of Smithville. Both Welch and Trapp were shot at Trapp’s home during the pre-dawn hours of January 6th on Webb Lane.
The indictments allege that the defendants did unlawfully, intentionally and with premeditation kill Welch during the perpetration of or an attempt to perpetrate theft and that they unlawfully and knowingly obtained or exercised control over property including, but not limited to, a necklace and ring valued at over $1,000 belonging to Trapp.
After the shooting, Johnson and Bain left the scene in their car but were arrested later that day in White County. They were brought to the DeKalb County Jail and after several hours of questioning, were charged in the shooting. Their car was also impounded.
Bain’s case is still pending in court.
Johnson is represented by attorney J. Hilton Conger. John Pryor is Bain’s lawyer
Judge Sells To Contest Election
It appears Criminal Court Judge Lillie Ann Sells, the apparent loser in her re-election bid last Thursday, is not going down without a fight…a court fight!
The Herald-Citizen of Cookeville is reporting that Judge Sells has confirmed that she is planning to file a lawsuit contesting the results of the election.
Final totals district-wide gave her opponent David A. Patterson, an Independent candidate, nine more votes than she received out of more than 40,000 votes cast.
After the votes were counted district wide on Thursday night, Patterson had a six vote lead over Sells, 20,102 to 20,096 but on Friday when the “provisional” ballots were examined in the counties that had them, Patterson had picked up four more votes to one additional vote for Sells increasing Patterson’s lead to nine votes.
The count, apparently as it stands now, is 20,106 for Patterson and 20,097 for Sells
Patterson currently serves as an Assistant District Attorney in the Office of Attorney General William A. ” Bill” Gibson of Cookeville.
According to the Herald Citizen report, Judge Sells said Monday that “she is working with a Nashville attorney in planning a suit seeking a review of the election results. Such a review could result in a recount of the votes.”
The report says “State law allows for a court filing to contest election results, and that would be filed in Chancery Court and reportedly would have to allege some specific reason for seeking a recount.”
City Board Votes To Remove Three Speed Humps On West Main Street
The three speed humps on West Main Street between Juniper Lane and the four way stop at North Mountain Street will soon be gone.
The Smithville Board of Aldermen Monday night voted to remove them, apparently bowing to public pressure.
Aldermen Stephen White, W.J. “Dub” White, and Cecil Burger voted for the removal of the speed humps. Aldermen Paul Young and Aaron Meeks “passed” when their names were called to vote on the issue.
The city board, earlier this year at the request of several residents in the area, voted to install the speed humps as a pilot project, but since they were put down most of the aldermen say they have heard nothing but complaints from the public, who often travel the street going to and from the downtown business district.
Residents in the neighborhood, including Bert Driver, Ruth Johns, and others, told the Mayor and Aldermen Monday night that the speed humps have been very effective in slowing traffic on a street where speeding has been a problem and the posted speed limit is 15 miles per hour. They asked that the speed humps not be removed.
Two Smithville residents, who don’t live on West Main Street, but who own property in town, expressed opposing views on the issue during the meeting Monday night.
William McKinley Jones spoke out against the speed humps, but former Smithville Mayor Waniford Cantrell said he thought the speed humps should be kept there and asked that another one be installed on the east side of the West Main Street bridge.
Mary McCoy presented a petition to the Aldermen, signed by several residents in the Smith Road area, asking that speed humps be installed on their street because of the speeding problem on that narrow and winding road.
However rather than put down more speed humps, city officials are searching for alternative solutions and Monday night Smithville Police Chief Gus Clemente and the department’s new Public Information Officer Tom Stufano pledged a stepped up enforcement campaign on streets with the most problems with speeding.
Yet some question how effective the extra patrols can be with only two to three officers on duty per shift.
Wilburn Braswell
92 year old Wilburn Braswell of Smithville died Saturday at NHC Healthcare Center in Smithville. He was a farmer, nurseryman, and a member of the Smithville First Baptist Church. A graveside service will be held Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. at DeKalb Memorial Gardens. Freddy Curtis will officiate. He was preceded in death by his wife, Frances Braswell; his parents, Matthew Allan and Minnie Lafever Braswell; brothers, Vallas, Lloyd, Clarence, Vestal, Gerald, M.A. and Jewell Braswell; and a sister, Lillie Mae Braswell Cantrell. Survivors include a son, W.C. Braswell, Jr. of Smithville. A brother, Maurice and his wife Elsie Braswell of Smithville. Three grandchildren, John and his wife Melissa Braswell and Heath Braswell all of Nashville, and Holly and her husband Phillip Hendrix of Smithville. Great grandchildren, Holden and Grayson Hendrix of Smithville. Jakeb Braswell of Nashville, and Victoria Cantrell of Tampa, Florida. The family requests that donations be made to the Smithville First Baptist Church Building Fund, in lieu of flowers. DeKalb Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.