Tennessee, U.S., Delayed Birth Records, 1869-1909
Lillian Gertrude Fulkerson
Elder at Covenant Presbyterian Church
Lillian Gertrude Fulkerson, 90, a former resident of Oak Ridge Retirement Center and of Farragut Health Care Center, died Monday, Feb. 24, 2003, at Fort Sanders Parkwest Medical Center in Knoxville.
Born Sept. 14, 1912, in Berlin, Okla., she was the daughter of Charles C. Long and Elizabeth Jane Marshall Long.
She was a graduate of Chase High School in Chase, Kan., and attended McPherson College in McPherson, Kan. She retired from Gulf Oil Corp. in Oklahoma, where she was a secretary.
Mrs. Fulkerson moved to this area in 1960. She was a longtime member of Covenant Presbyterian Church and had served the church as an elder, as president of the Woman's Association, as a circle chairman and as a member of the choir.
She will be remembered as the kind, loving, witty and smart lady who could create and maintain the most comfortable and welcoming of homes, with time left over to never say no to the church or a neighbor in need, her family said, adding that she was a bright spot in all their lives, was loved by all and will be greatly missed.
She is survived by her stepdaughters, Leatha Stewart of Carlisle, Ohio, Rea Marie Fulkerson of Beach Haven, N.J., and Nancy Barrett of Lancaster, Ohio; and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren.
She considered Bird, Michael and Laura Minch of Knoxville and Joey Goodin of Oak Ridge as dear friends.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her first husband, Rea T. Fulkerson, in 1960 and her second husband, Stanley D. Fulkerson, in 1977; sisters, Grace, Mabel, Mildred and Helen; brother, Marshall; and stepson, Samuel T. Fulkerson, who died in 1995.
A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 1, at Oak Ridge Memorial Park. The Rev. David Hall will officiate.
The family will receive friends from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28, at Weatherford Mortuary.
The family asks that any memorials be in the form of contributions to Covenant Presbyterian Church, 190 Manhattan Ave., Oak Ridge, TN 37830, or to a charity of the donor's choice.
Elizabeth Ruth Parsons
Member of Calvary Baptist Church
Elizabeth Ruth Parsons, 87, of Oak Ridge, died Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2003, at the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville.
Born July 5, 1915, in Greeneville, she was one of the eight children of Charles Columbus Swecker and Amanda Olive Swecker.
Mrs. Parsons worked for many years as a sales clerk at J.C. Penney Co. Inc. She was a member of Calvary Baptist Church. Her family said she enjoyed working in her yard and flowers.
She is survived by her son, Donald Wayne Parsons, and wife, Selene, of Oak Ridge; brother, Gerald Swecker of Pendleton, Ore.; sisters, Jule Ellis and husband, All, of Summerville, Fla., Ann Gollati and husband, Al, of Port Richie, Fla., and Doris Bledsoe of Concord; grandchildren, Debbie Brock of Orangevale, Calif., Mitch Parsons and wife, Pamela, of Clinton, Roger Parsons and wife, Debbie, of Bryson city, N.C., Lisa Parsons and husband, Robert Carter, of Blue Ridge, Ga., Erik Parsons of Cavineer, Fla., David Parsons and wife, Mary, of Farragut, and Allan Parson and Tracy Parsons, both of Oak Ridge; great-grandchildren, Kelly Parsons Carnes and husband, Barry, of Whittier, N.C., Kara Parsons of Charlotte, N.C., Erin Parsons of Clinton, Matthew Scott Parsons of Knoxville, and Stephanie Brock and Jarad Ferreirae, both of Orangevale, Calif.; and numerous nieces, nephews and other relatives.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Willard Parsons, Feb. 13, 1985; sons, Jerry R. Parsons, who died March 19, 1982, and Harold D. Parsons, who died Feb. 12, 1989; brother, James; and sisters, Edith and Nell.
The funeral will be at 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, at Weatherford Mortuary with the Rev. Steve McDonald officiating. The graveside service will be at 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 28, at Oak Ridge Memorial Park.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the mortuary.
Johnny Benton
Retired boiler operator, Oak Valley Baptist member
Johnny Benton, 76, of Oak Ridge, died Tuesday afternoon, February 25, 2003, at Briarcliff Health Care Center.
He was a member of Oak Valley Baptist Church, a retired boiler operator with LTV Steel in Youngstown, Ohio, and a veteran of World War II.
He is survived by his son, John Benton and wife, Drucilla, of Oak Ridge; daughter, Marsha Covington and husband, Eric, of Knoxville; son, Larry Benton of Youngstown; stepson, Lorenzo Lenoir of Houston, Texas; stepdaughter, Donna Barnes of Richmond, Va.; and 25 grandchildren, 45 great-grandchildren and one great-great-granddaughter.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Alma Davis and Johnny Benton; wife, Roxie Benton; son, Robert J. Benton, and stepdaughters, Gwendolyn Smith, Lolita Harris and Helena Douglas.
The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28, at Oak Valley Baptist Church, 199 Hampton Road. The Rev. Hardil Thomas will officiate. Burial will follow at Oak Ridge Memorial Park.
The family will receive friends from noon to 1 p.m. Friday at the church. Weatherford Mortuary in Oak Ridge is in charge of the arrangements.
Gladys Elizabeth Grady
A former resident of Oak Ridge
Gladys Elizabeth Berglund Grady, 85, of Knoxville, formerly of Oak Ridge, died Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2003, at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center in Knoxville.
She is survived by her sons, Michael Grady and his wife, Sue, of Kingston, Terry Grady and his wife, Della, of Rockwood, Patrick Grady and his wife, Karen, of Powell, Timothy Grady and his wife, Linda, of Oak Ridge and her devoted son and caregiver, Brian Grady of Knoxville; 13 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Clarence Grady.
The funeral will be at 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, in the chapel of Weaver Funeral Home, 5815 Western Ave., Knoxville. The Rev. Mark Kidd will officiate.
Family and friends will meet at 9:45 a.m. Friday, Feb. 28, at Woodhaven Memorial Gardens in Claxton for a 10 a.m. graveside service. Her grandsons will serve as pallbearers.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Dennis W. Holder
Morgan County native
Dennis W. "Midnite" Holder, 73, of Heiskell, died Sunday, Feb. 27, 2000, at St. Mary's Medical Center in Knoxville.
Mr. Holder was born in Morgan County on Jan. 6, 1927, the son of William and Mary Jane Laymance Holder, who are deceased. He was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II and served aboard the USS Boston. He was a Baptist.
He was retired from the excavating business.
Mr. Holder is survived by his wife of 45 years, Desta Stringfield Holder; his daughter, Diane Holder, of Heiskell; his son, Dennis Holder Jr. and his wife, Linda, also of Heiskell; two sisters, Carrie Lee Foster and Ruby Tudor and her husband, Jerry, all of Clinton; and four brothers, Jim Holder and his wife, Edie, of Claxton, and William Holder, Henry Holder and his wife, Linda, and John Holder and his wife, Pam, all of Nashville.
He is also survived by his brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Ronnie and Kathy Barnes of New Market; two grandchildren, Marcey Bean and Anthony Taylor; and three great-grandchildren.
Lester Fox, Charles G. "Bones" Seivers, Homer Hughes, Jerome Simonds, Ester Nelson and John Vickers were considered special friends.
A sister and six brothers, Bessie Sexton, Bill Holder, Hill Holder, Kenneth Holder, Roscoe Holder, Frank Holder and Steve Holder, died earlier.
The funeral will be held at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 29, in the chapel of Holley-Gamble Funeral Home in Clinton with the Rev. Jerry Walton officiating.
A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 1, at Stringfield Cemetery. Members of the East Tennessee Veterans Honor Guard will conduct full military rites.
The family will receive friends from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.
Herman Keller Blair
Ridger since 1943
Herman Keller Blair, age 85 of Oak Ridge, died Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2001.
Mr. Blair was born on Dec. 18, 1915 in Etowah, the son of Arthur B. and Loni Watkins Blair, who are deceased.
He retired from Rust Engineering and H.K. Ferguson Co., where he was a purchasing agent. He enjoyed yard work, gardening and his family and grandchildren, and he loved to entertain his family at home.
Mr. Blair was a member of Central Baptist Church.
He is survived by his daughters, Marlene Streetman and her husband, Kibbee, and Carol Taylor and her husband Ron, all of Oak Ridge. Both of his daughters are teachers in the Oak Ridge schools.
Mr. Blair is also survived by his granddaughters, Catherine Taylor of Oak Ridge and Stacey Jones and her husband, Keith, of Knoxville; his grandson, Michael Taylor and his wife, Julie, of Jasper; and three great-grandchildren, Paul Jones and Micah Jones, both of Knoxville, and Mills Taylor of Jasper.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Christina Hampton Blair, and by three brothers and two sisters.
The funeral will be held at 8 p.m. Thursday, March 1, in the chapel of Weatherford Mortuary. The Rev. Bob Gray and the Rev. David Hall will officiate.
The body will be taken to Bordwine Funeral Home in Etowah, where the family will receive friends from 1 to 2 p.m. on Friday, March 2. Burial will follow at Greenhill Cemetery in Etowah.
The family asks that any memorials be in the form of donations to Covenant HomeCare and Hospice in recognition of the loving care given to Mr. Blair during his final days. Donations should be designated for "Patient Care" and mailed to: Covenant HomeCare and Hospice, 700 S. Illinois Ave., Oak Ridge, TN 37830.
The family will receive friends from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the mortuary.
Willie Mae Hodge
Oak Ridge resident
Willie Mae Hodge, 86, of Oak Ridge, died Sunday, Feb. 25, 2001, at Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge.
Mrs. Hodge is survived by her sons, Ronald Hodge and David Hodge, both of Oak Ridge; and her sisters, Fannie Mae Hodge and Bessie Hodge, both of Opelika, Ala.
Family and friends will meet for prayer at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, March 1, at the family home before going to Oak Ridge Memorial Park for a 1 p.m. graveside service. The Rev. Charles Yancy will officiate at the graveside.
A reception following the graveside service will be held at Oak Valley Baptist Church.
The body can be viewed between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Wednesday at Weatherford Mortuary.
