Gene Wallace Mangum

Gene Wallace Mangum, age 88, of McMinnville, Tennessee went home to be with his Lord and Savior on May 22, 2015. He passed quietly at home surrounded by his family and loved ones. Gene was born in Smithville, Tennessee on April 28, 1927, the son of the late Jessie Brown and Novella Bond Mangum. He was raised on the family farm in Smithville, Tennessee.
Gene served his country in the Army Air Corp. out of Eglin Air Force Base in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida. After military service he returned home, met and married the love of his life, Udeena White Mangum. They settled in McMinnville, Tennessee where they began and raised their family. Gene worked at Genesco where he retired at age 55 as a supervisor. He then started his own successful business, Mangum’s Vinyl Siding, and was also a local nurseryman.Gene was a dedicated and founding member of North Hills Church of God of Prophecy, where he was active and instrumental in growing the church through his witness, life testimony, and work. He taught Sunday School for 62 years. A devout Christian, you would find Gene every morning (early) at his dining room table with his Bible open reading the word of God. His walk with his Lord was the source of his strength on his life’s journey.
Gene is survived by three of his six children, Ron (Betty) Mangum of Cookeville, TN, Vickie (Patrick) Conway of Ocean Ridge, FL, Phyllis (Michael) Beecher of Joelton, TN; stepson Lloyd (Annette) Philpot of Alabama; sister Dora (Joe) Mangum Hutchings of McMinnville, TN; brother Herman (Marilyn) Mangum of Michigan; grandchildren Greg Mangum, Mindy Smith, Amy Mangum, Melody Tollison, Deena Beecher, Robert A. Dunlap, II, and Trence Dunlap; step grandchildren Terrence Conway, Christopher Conway, Brandon Beecher, Craig Beecher, Eva Vaughn, and Ana Philpot; eighteen great-grandchildren and longtime special friend Mildred Bumbalough. Mr. Mangum was preceded in death by his wife Udeena White Mangum and wife Ruth Cowan Philpot, children Christy Leigh Mangum, Jeffery Mangum, and Donna Mangum, parents Jessie Brown and Novella Bond Mangum, six brothers Jimmy Mangum, Jessie “Jack” Mangum, Fred Mangum, Ferman “BeBe” Mangum, Bill Van Hooser, and Johnny Carroll Van Hooser, four sisters Vella Mangum Blythe, Mildred Mangum Odom, Lela Mangum Bolieau, and Elizabeth Van Hooser Cummings.
Funeral service will be 12 PM Noon, Monday, May 25, 2015, in the McMinnville Funeral Home Chapel. Bro. Michael Harris will officiate. Interment will follow at Whorton Springs Cemetery in DeKalb County, TN. The Mangum Family will receive friends Sunday from 12 PM Noon until 4 PM and again Monday from 10 AM until 12 PM Noon at the parlors of McMinnville Funeral Home.
Our family expresses our gratitude to each of Dad’s caregivers Thomas Cantrell, Carolyn Odineal, Lanny Watson, and Jessie Turner, his neighbors, his church family, and friends for being there for Dad on his Journey to his heavenly home.
McMinnville Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.