55 year old Rita Claudine Greene of McMinnville died Friday at Erlanger Medical Center in Chattanooga from injuries sustained in an automobile accident in Warren County. Born in Sparta, she was a lab technician with United Regional Medical Center in Manchester, and a member of Cornerstone Baptist Church. Mrs. Greene was preceded in death by father Oscar Claude Manning, a daughter Leslie Nicole Greene Lytle, and father-in-law and mother-in-law Earl and Ethel Greene.
Survivors include her husband Perry Greene of McMinnville A daughter Lindsey Lynese Greene and fiancée Chris Bell of Manchester. Grandchildren Hayden Manning Lytle, Kennedy Eden Jade Lytle, Halia Michelle Bell, and Logan Michael Bell. Son-in-law Russell Lytle of McMinnville. Mother Linda Manning and sister Jenean and husband Earlie Bain all of Smithville and sisters-in-law Wanda Faye Hillis, Brenda Kay Gribble, Vickie Earline Frizzell, Shirley Ray Hawks, Tammy Sue Bouldin, and Paula Michelle Turner. Many nieces, nephews, family members, and friends also survive.
The funeral service will be at 4:00 p.m. Sunday at McMinnville Funeral Home Chapel.. Kevin Burden and Jackie Matheny will officiate. Burial will follow at Gardens of Memory. The Greene Family will receive friends Saturday from 4:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. and again Sunday from 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. at McMinnville Funeral Home.
McMinnville Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements

45 year old Jimmy Ray Matheney, Sr. of Walling died Thursday at Highland Medical Center in Sparta. He was a carpenter and a member of the Church of Christ. A graveside service will be Saturday at 10:00 a.m. at the Plainview Cemetery in Cassville. Ray Wilmouth will officiate. Visitation will be Friday from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at DeKalb Funeral Chapel. No visitation will be held Saturday. Family and friends will meet at the cemetery for the service. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, George and Cora Wilmouth and Emma Donelson Matheney. Survivors include his wife, Rita Matheney of Walling. A daughter, Alicia Matheney and her husband, Nathan Cope of Spencer. A son, Jimmy Ray Matheney, Jr. of Walling. Grandchildren, Kasey Michelle Coffman and Jordan Cope. Parents, David and Brenda Matheney of Smithville. Two brothers, David Wayne Matheney of Smithville and Christopher George Matheney of Sparta. Two sisters, Davia Sue Quistgard of Sparta and Melissa Davenport of Sparta. DeKalb Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements. The family asks that donations be made to DeKalb Funeral Chapel to help with funeral expenses, in lieu of flowers.

55 year old Brent Wilson Reed died Thursday at DeKalb Community Hospital. He was a press operator at Federal Mogul. The funeral will be Sunday at 2:00 p.m. at the Chapel of Love-Cantrell Funeral Home. Burial will be in DeKalb Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be Friday from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.; Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.; and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Survivors include his wife, Paulette Reed; parents, Jack and Sara Reed; a son, Brent, Jr. and wife Heather Reed, a daughter, Virginia Reed; and a step-son, Christopher Daniels all of Smithville. Three brothers, Bart and wife Glenda Reed of Georgia, Brian and wife Phyllis Reed and Barry and wife Angie Reed all of Smithville. One sister, Margaret and husband Doyle Curtis of Smithville, and twelve grandchildren. Love-Cantrell Funeral is in charge of the arrangements.

78 year old Billy J. Bratcher of Smithville died Friday at his residence. He was a member of the Old Fashion Freewill Baptist Church. The funeral will be Sunday at 4:00 p.m. at the Chapel of Love-Cantrell Funeral Home. David Lawson will officiate and burial will be in the Banks Cemetery. Visitation will be Friday from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.; Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.; and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. until the service. Bratcher was preceded in death by his parents, Alvie and Minnie Harman Bratcher; a son, Milton Bratcher; two brothers, J.P. and Jr. Bratcher; and two sisters, Clara Mae Armour and Sybal Lawson. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Gracie Bratcher; two sisters, Naomi and Dixie Underhill of McMinnville and Elsie Campbell of Smithville. Four grandchildren, Jimmy and Ashley Martin of Dowelltown, Jennifer and Nelson Davis, Chris and Lola Martin, and Allen and Roberta Wilkerson all of Smithville. Eight great grandchildren, a daughter-in-law, Cynthia Bratcher of Smithville, a sister-in-law, Mai Nell and husband Carlon Melton of Smithville, and a host of nieces, nephews, and friends. Love-Cantrell Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

93 year old Mary Ella Hughes of Smithville died Thursday at DeKalb Community Hospital. She was a homemaker and a member of the Short Mountain Church of God. The funeral will be Saturday at 1:00 p.m. at the Chapel of Love-Cantrell Funeral Home. Charles Stanton will officiate and burial will be in the Banks Cemetery. Visitation will be Friday from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until the service time at 1:00 p.m. She was preceded in death by her parents, Lee Roy and Stacy Jones Warren; her first husband, Newt Johnson; her second husband, Preston Hughes; and a son, Tommy Johnson. She is survived by four grandchildren; several great grandchildren; two nieces, Ammie Miller of Smithville and Annette Spicer of Clarksville; and a nephew, Jim Roy and wife Sue Warren of Nashville. Love-Cantrell Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

78 year old Juanita Grissim of Liberty died Wednesday at NHC Healthcare Center. She was a member of the Liberty United Methodist Church, the Senior Citizens in Liberty, and she was a cook at DeKalb West School for nine years. The funeral will be Saturday at 1:00 p.m. at DeKalb Funeral Chapel. Michael Hale will officiate and burial will be in Sycamore Cemetery. Visitation will be Friday from 11:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. until the time of the service at 1:00 p.m. Grissim was preceded in death by her parents, Melvin and Myler Vickers Dodd; her first husband, Jimmy Paul Gunter; a brother, Clyde Dodd; and a sister, Alvena Dodd. Survivors include her husband, Walter J. Grissim of Liberty. Children, Tammy and husband Robert Smith of Alexandria, Steve Gunter and companion Lois Horn of Smithville, Joe and wife Penny Gunter of the Short Mountain Community. Grandchildren, John and Nick Smith, Tina and Jennifer Gunter, Josh Gunter, Jason Gunter, and Emily Hall. Great grandchildren, Rebecca Gunter, Zack and Rick Gunter, Dakota Gunter, Austin and Katlyn Smith, McKenzie Hall, and a sister, Jean Mayo of Gassaway. DeKalb Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.

71 year old Paul T. Cantrell died Monday at Williamson Medical Center, after a long battle with cancer. Cantrell is the son of the late Wallace C. and Mary Morrison Cantrell.
Cantrell is survived by his wife of 17 years Anne Strange Cantrell of Lascassas; daughter Pamela Needham and her husband Fred of Nolensville; son Don Palmer and his wife Jayme of Smyrna; grandchildren Carson and Quinn Needham and Ainsley Palmer; brother David Cantrell and his wife Barbara of Smithville; sisters Ruby Schrock of McMinnville and Donna Day of Spring, Texas; nephews Anthony Cantrell and his wife Lisa, Bryan Schrock and his wife Allison, Levy Schrock and his wife Susan, Jeff Day and his wife Valarie; niece Jean-Marie Gustavsen and her husband Greg; great-nieces and nephews Andrew, Matthew and Laura Cantrell, Preston and Mitchell Gustavsen, Danielle, Megan and Rachael Schrock; and great-great Niece Holly Schrock.
Cantrell graduated from DeKalb County High School in 1959, earned his bachelors degree from MTSU in 1963, and his masters from UT Knoxville in 1965. Cantrell worked at MTSU from 1965 until he retired as Dean of Students at MTSU in 1994.
A celebration of Life will be Saturday at 2:00 PM at Woodfin Funeral Chapel, Murfreesboro. Rev. Nancy Neely Hicks will officiate.
Visitation will be 4:00 until 8:00 PM Friday and 12:00 PM until time of service Saturday at Woodfin Funeral Chapel, Murfreesboro. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to B.R.A.A. Baseball Program through the MTSU Foundation in memory of Mr. Cantrell.

86 year old Mary Alice Rush of Carthage and formerly of Alexandria died Monday at Smith County Health Care Center. She was born in Lebanon. Rush was also a homemaker. Her father was George Haynes. The funeral will be Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. at the chapel of Anderson Funeral Home in Alexandria. Burial will be in Hillview Cemetery. Visitation will be Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. until the service. Three nephews survive.

60 year old Dr.Phil Gunter, PhD., of Hahira, Georgia died on Sunday at his home. Born in McMinnville, he was the son of Norma Phillips Gunter and the late Howard Gunter. A graduate of DeKalb County High School, he continued his education at Tennessee Technological University where he received his BS and Masters Degree in Health and Physical Education. He received his EdS in Special Education at West Georgia University and his PhD in Special Education at Peabody College, Vanderbilt University.
Dr. Gunter served as a classroom teacher of students with disabilities, a school principal, a director of special education services and a research scientist at the Kansas University. He was a noted scholar in the field of special education and emotional behavioral disorders. In 1993 he was Chair, Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders and from 2003 – 2009 was Dean, Dewar College of Education. In December of 2010 Dr. Gunter served as Provost, Valdosta State University and Vice President of Academic Affairs. He was a member of Christ Episcopal Church.
Survivors are his wife, Karen of Hahira; his mother, Norma of Smithville; a sister and brother in law, Sharon and Harold Rader of Murfreesboro; brother and sister in law, Dan and Kristen Gunter of Lakeland, Florida; nieces and nephews, Danielle Gunter, Matt Gunter, Leah Orsbon, Monica Dickens, Alex Rader, Matthew Barnes and Rob Denny, god son; aunts and uncles, Mary Cantrell, Faye Walker, Jane Eller, Bill Phillips; his father in law and mother in law, Aaron and Josephine Parten, and sister in law, Eleanor Parten.
Memorial services for Dr. Gunter will be held on Wednesday, at 11 a.m. at Christ Episcopal Church with Reverend Peter Ingeman, Reverend Tar Drazdowski, and Dr. Louis Levy officiating. The family will receive friends at the Carson McLane Funeral Home on Tuesday evening from 5 to 7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Francis Ministers for Animals c/o Christ Episcopal Church, 1521 N. Patterson St. Valdosta GA 31601, the Bethel Cemetery Fund c/o Joe Underwood Short Mt. Road, Smithville, TN 37166 or the VSU Foundation, 1500 N. Patterson St. Valdosta GA 31698.
Carson McLane Funeral Home in Georgia is in charge of the arrangements. This information provided as a courtesy of DeKalb Funeral Chapel.

57 year old Margaret Veronica Baker Mastey of Smithville died Saturday at Summit Medical Center in Nashville. She was a retired owner of Subway Shops. A memorial service will be Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. at DeKalb Funeral Chapel. Visitation will be Wednesday from noon until the service at 1:00 p.m. She was preceded in death by her husband Frank Mastey; parents, James and Margaret Sherneck Baker; a son, Frank Mastey; and brothers, Jim and Roger Baker. Survivors include children, Tammy Mastey and Joseph Mastey both of Louisiana and Victoria Mastey of Kansas. Grandchildren, Evan, Hunter, and Joseph. Brothers, Chuck Baker and Ronnie Baker both of Missouri, and Dan Baker of Florida. DeKalb Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements. Donations may be made to Hospice of Paducah, Kentucky.