Civic leader Paul C. Avery, 88, dies
Former Lauderdale County Commissioner Paul C. Avery, 88, retired electrician and farmer, died Monday morning of leukemia at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Lauderdale in Ripley. Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Gates United Methodist Church, where he was a member, with burial in Gates Cemetery. Halls Funeral Home has charge. Mr. Gates was a Lauderdale County commissioner from 1954 to 1966. From 1915 to 1964 his family owned and operated Gates Milling Co. In 1927 he was electrician for the former Halls Power & Light Co. and he was a former electrician for Arkansas-Missouri Power & Light Co. He was former music director at Gates United Methodist Church and a Mason. Mr. Avery, the husband of Virginia Lee Avery, also leaves a daughter, Pat Savage of Bernardsville, N.J.; two sons, Dr. Thomas L. Avery of Memphis and Paul C. Avery Jr. of Halls; a sister, Lena Mae Mullins of Greenville, S.C.; a brother, Carroll Avery of New Concord, Ky., seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: April 12, 1994

Virginia Lee Avery, 103, of Gates, widow of Paul Avery, died Sunday, in Gates. Rites were Tuesday in Gates United Methodist Church, where she was a member for more than 80 years, teaching Sunday School and serving as president of the Women’s Society of Christian Service several times. She had been president of a Parent-Teachers Association. Burial was in Gates Cemetery, Halls Funeral Home in charge. She leaves sons, Paul Avery, Jr., of Halls, and Tom Avery, of Bartlett; a daughter, Patricia Savage, of Bernardsville, N.J.; seven grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
The Lauderdale County Enterprise, Ripley, Tennessee, July 5, 2007

Mr. J. E. Boone dies --- Mr. John Edwin Boone, local freight agent of the I. C. Railroad at Fulton, KY., died suddenly in a hospital in Paducah last Sunday morning, his death being due to high blood pressure. He had been confined to the hospital only about ten days, and his condition had so much improved that he was expected to return to his home on the following day. The remains were brought to Gates and laid to rest Monday afternoon, following funeral services at the residence of Mr. R. W. Gholson, conducted by Elder Joe Ratcliffe, pastor of the Christian Church at Bardwell. KY., who paid the deceased a beautiful tribute, saying that he was intimately associated with him for 16 years and that he was one of the finest characters he had ever known. Interment was in Gates Cemetery. Mr. Boone was 45 years of age and was a native of Alabama. He was married to Miss Willie Pearl Robertson of Gates, in 1900,while working as a telegraph operator at Newbern, and afterwards was depot agent for several years at Gates. He is survived by his wife; and three sons, Edwin, Eugene and William Robertson Boone, the eldest, Edwin, holding a
responsible position in the superintendent's office in Fulton. Ripley, Tennessee-Friday-April 10th, 1925

HALLS - Odis Franklin Ballentine, 77, retired employee of Columbiana Seed Co. in Dyersburg, died Saturday at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Lauderdale in Ripley after a stroke. Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. Mr. Ballentine leaves three daughters, Carol Woods of Dyersburg, Romona Rhoads of Henning and Sherri Smith of Halls; four sisters, Mattie Bohannon of Ripley, Rachel Ferguson of Halls, Lorene Siegfried of Memphis and Ruby York of Harrisburg, Pa.; a brother, Raymond Eskridge of Lafayette; a stepsister, Mary Maniescalco of Memphis, two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: February 5, 1995

Halls - Carolyn Bentley, 61, retired teacher, died Wednesday at Methodist North Hospital. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Halls First Baptist Church, where she was a member, with burial in Gates Cemetery. Garner Funeral Home in Ripley has charge. Mrs. Bentley, the wife of Kenneth Bentley, also leaves a daughter, Amy Bentley Lamborn of New York City; a son, Mark Bentley of Halls; two sisters, Delane Gilliland of Ripley and Ann Bingham of Indiana; two brothers, Benny Hugh Moore of Ripley and Franklin Moore of California, and two grandchildren. The family requests that any memorials be sent to Halls First Baptist Church.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: April 14, 2005

Virginia Branch
Mrs. H. R. Branch buried Monday. Services for Mrs. Humphrey R. BRANCH, who died of a heart attack at her home in Maury City Saturday afternoon were held at the home of her daughter, Mrs. J. B. LEE Monday afternoon, burial in Gates Cemetery. She was 78. A lifelong resident of Crockett County, Mrs. BRANCH was the daughter of the late J. B. & Mrs. Cornelia PARKER. She leaves two daughters, Mrs. J. B. LEE and Mrs. M. N. THOMPSON, Jackson; a son, James H. BRANCH, Memphis; four sisters, Mrs.Mollie FERGUSON, Gates, Mrs. R. J. MOORE, Gates, Mrs.Laura McPHERSON, Memphis, and Mrs. S. A. LUCAS, Canton, Miss.; two brothers, W. D. PARKER, Gates, E. G. PARKER, Sr., Gates. She was an aunt of Emmett PARKER, Jr., Halls.Three grandchildren also survive, Mrs. Wallace WEATHERS, Pittsburg, Pa., Miss Janie BRANCH, Memphis, and Lt. Wade THOMSON, with the U. S. Army in Toyko.
THE HALLS GRAPHIC
HALLS,TENNESSEE
FRIDAY MAY 24,1946

RIPLEY - Carl Buckner, 77, retired farmer, died Thursday at Memphis Veterans Medical Center. Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. He was a World War II Navy veteran. Buckner, the husband of Millie Thurmond Buckner, also leaves three daughters, Ms. Lois Sue Cates of Ripley, Ms. Ann Ursery of Camden and Ms. Barbara Buckner of Brighton; nine sons, James A. Buckner, William L. Buckner and Lewis Gene Buckner, all of Ripley, Thomas M. Buckner of Detroit, Carl F. Buckner of Van Wert, Ohio, John H. Buckner of Halls, Alvin Buckner of Batesville, Ark., Benny G. Buckner of Gates and Mark A. Buckner of Brazil; four sisters, Ms. Mattie Beard of Lake City, Mich., Ms. Louise Frewls of Whiteville, Ms. Ine z Haynes of Nutbush and Ms. Mary Kelly of Mississippi; a brother, Junior Buckner of Brownsville; a half-brother, Leroy Buckner of Millington, 42 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: October 11, 1991

RIPLEY - Millie Elena Buckner, 75, homemaker, died of congestive heart failure Friday at her home. Services will be at 4 p.m. today at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. She was a member of Halls First Assembly of God Church. Mrs. Buckner, the widow of Carl Buckner, leaves three daughters, Sue Cates of Ripley, Ann Usery of Holladay and Carol Buckner of Brighton; nine sons, Jim Buckner, Willie Buckner and Gene Buckner, all of Ripley, Tom Buckner of Kalamazoo, Mich., Floyd Buckner of Van Wert, Ohio, Henry Buckner and Benny Buckner, both of Halls, Alvin Buckner of Corcord, Ark., and Mark Buckner of Brazil; a sister, Velma Burns of Halls, 45 grandchildren and 35 great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: March 30, 1997

Joyce Ann Smitley Buckner, 67, home health provider, of Ripley, died Sunday, March 18, at Dyersburg Regional Center. Services will be held at 2 p.m., Wednesday, March 21, at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. Visitation will start at 10 a.m., Wednesday, March 21. Ms. Buckner, leaves three daughters, Dawn Cooper of Van Wert, Ohio, Terri Hasch and Starla K. Edwards, both of Ripley; seven sons, James Burdg of Van Wert, Randal Burdg of Savannah, Tenn., Benny Burdg of Van Wert, Jeff Buckner of Ripley, Eric Buckner of Halls, Jack Buckner of Convoy, Ohio, and Shawn Buckner of Van Wert; a brother, Rodger Smitley of Van Wert; 17 grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.
March 18, 2007

GATES - Frewl Buffaloe, 87, retired postmaster and farmer, died Wednesday at his home. Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Gates Church of Christ with burial in Gates Cemetery. Halls Funeral Home has charge. He was a member of Halls Masonic Lodge, Gates Civic Club, Halls-Gates Rotary Club, National Association of Retired Federal Employees, Lauderdale County Farm Bureau, Lauderdale County Election Committee, founder of Gates Library and director of Lauderdale County Baptist Hospital Board of Advisors and Lauderdale County Nursing and Retirement Home. Mr. Buffaloe, the widower of Laverne Buffaloe, leaves a daughter, Marion Greenwald of Marietta, Ga.; a son, Winford Buffaloe of Halls, four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. The family requests that memorials be sent to Gates Library.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: March 7, 2002

GATES - George Avery Buffaloe, 80, retired chef with The Peabody in Memphis, died of respiratory failure Monday at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Lauderdale in Ripley. Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. Mr. Buffaloe, the widower of Russellean Dawson Buffaloe, leaves two daughters, Ruth McKee and Mary Brandon, both of Millington; four sons, George A. Buffaloe Jr. of Ripley, Russell Buffaloe of Myrtle Beach, S.C., William H. Buffaloe of Russell, Ark., and Marty Buffaloe of Gates; a brother, Frewl Buffaloe of Gates, 15 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: December 4, 1996

GATES - Russellean Elizabeth Buffaloe, 65, died Sunday at Parkview Methodist Hospital in Dyersburg. Services will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. She was a member of Curve Baptist Church. Mrs. Buffaloe, the wife of George Avery Buffaloe Sr., also leaves two daughters, Ruth McKee and Mary Brandon, both of Millington; four sons, Bill Buffaloe, Marty Buffaloe and Russell Buffaloe, all of Gates, and George Buffaloe Jr. of Ripley; two sisters, June Martinez of Halls and Martha Taylor of Pinson; three brothers, Jerrell Dawson of Maury City, Russell Dawson Jr. of Troy and Ulus Dawson of Alton, Ill., 15 grandchildren and seven great- grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: August 3, 1993

C. M. Campbell
After an illness of two weeks with malaria fever and complications of diseases, Mr. C. M. Campbell passed peacefully to his reward at his late Dry Hill home early Friday morning. Up until a few days before his demise there was great hope of his recovery but as he grew worse toward the middle of last week, all his children were summoned and were at his bedside when the end came. Mr. Campbell was born in Chatam County, North Carolina on Nov. 4, 1848 and came to Tennessee when a boy; later removing to Texas where he resided several years. But, the desire for good old Tennessee was so strong that he moved back some 35 years ago and resided in Lauderdale County since. He was a good farmer, a splendid citizen, kind neighbor and loving husband and father. He married Mildred Saunders 55 years ago and to this union were born ten children, eight of whom survive. They are, Mrs. Julian Sutton, Mrs. E.C. Owen, Will Campbell, Mrs W. C. Deloch, Mrs. Will Hartman, E. C. Campbell, Mrs. W. T. Green and Miss Bruce Campbell. Mr. Campbell had 25 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. He was a member of the Church of Christ of Curve and the funeral was held there Saturday by his pastor Dr. L. R. Harding of Henning. Internment was at Gates. Pallbearers were H. M. Suttton, Julian Sutton, Jr., C.W. Sutton, Richard Owen and William Campbell. Death year 1928

Mildred Campbell --The sudden death of Mrs. Campbell in Memphis on December 23rd was a shock to her loved ones and friends in Lauderdale County. She was the widow of the late C.M. Campbell of Dry Hill and it was in this county that she spent the greater portion of her long life. It was not until the death of her husband some three years ago that she moved to Memphis. She was a Virginian by birth and was only one year old when she came with her parents to Tennessee from Virginia. Her maiden name was Mildred Saunders and of her immediate Family only two sisters are living, Mrs. John Moore and Mrs. Eva King of San Antonio. (Texas). On May 4, 1873, she was married to Mr. Campbell and 8 children survive this union: Mrs. Julian Sutton and Mrs. E.C. Owen of Curve, Will Campbell, Mrs. W. C. Delouch of Ripley, Mrs. Will Hartman of Gates, E.C. Campbell, Mrs. W. T.Green and Miss Bruce Campbell of Memphis. The remains were brought to the home of her daughter in Gates on Wednesday and the following day, Christmas Eve, were laid to rest in the cemetery at that place. The funeral, however, was held in the Curve Church of Christ of which she had been a faithful member for a quarter century. Her pastor, Dr. L.K. Harding conducted the services in the presence of relatives and friends. The loving esteem in which the deceased was held and the purity of the sweet life now closed was also typified in the profusion of lovely floral offerings. Her four score years had not been lived in vain for all who knew her loved her and made better for having come in contact with a life so beautiful, one which had brought so much joy and happiness into the world. Long will the memory of her kind affectionate disposition, gentle words and and loving ministrations live in the hearts of her children and those made richer and purer by the influence of her consecrated Christian faith. Death year 1931

Services for J. Perry Chaney who died Sunday night at the Baptist Hospital, Memphis were held Tuesday at Halls Funeral Home, burial in Gates Cemetery. A retired lumberman and farmer, he was employed by Mengel Box Factory for 25 yrars as a timber cruiser and estimator. He was 73, a native of Crockett County. He leaves his wife, Mrs. Julia ROOKS CHANEY; three daughters, Mrs. J. F. GRIFFIN of Forked Deer Community, Mrs. Meredith HUNT of Oak Ridge, Tenn.,. and Mrs. H. L. WHITE of LexingtonPark,Maryland
CROCKETT COUNTY SENTINEL
BELLS, TENNESSEE
THURSDAY MARCH 2, 1950

Lucy Chaney--The J.E. Piersons', the Egbert Piersons', the Eugene Piersons', Mrs. Drake and Mrs. Ella Pierson of Ripley; Mr. and Mrs. J.J. Chaney of Crockett County; Mr. and Mrs. Shelton Spence and daughters, Misses Nell and Patty Ray, of Halls, attended the funeral of Mrs. Lucy Chaney, Monday. Mrs. Lucy Chaney, age 77 years, died at the home of her son, Mr. J.P. Chaney, with whom she lived, Sunday morning at 11 o'clock. Funeral services were held at the Methodist Church Monday morning at 10 o'clock, conducted by her pastor, Rev. J.K. Pafford. The remains were interred in Gates cemetery. ENTERPRISE Friday April 9, 1926

GATES - Ike J. Childress, 80, retired from Baker Gas & Oil Co., died Friday at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis. Services will be at 2 p.m. today at Gates United Methodist Church, where he was a member, with burial in Gates Cemetery. Halls Funeral Home has charge. He was a World War II Army veteran. Mr. Childress, the husband of Zona Thurmond Childress, also leaves a daughter, Judy Olds of Gates, a grandchild and a great-grandchild. The family requests that memorials be sent to Gates United Methdodist Church. Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: January 12, 2003

Zona Childress, 87, of Gates, widow of Ike Childress, died Monday in Jackson-Madison County Hospital. Rites were set for 11 a.m. Thursday in Gates United Methodist Church, where she was a member, with burial in Gates Cemetery, Halls Funeral Home in charge. She leaves a daughter, Judy Olds, a brother, Buddy Thurmond, and sisters, Crystal Jackson and Ruby Turner, of Gates; other sisters, Polly Jackson, of Memphis, and Joyce Bentley, of Bloomington, ILL.; a grandchild; and a great-grandchild.
Death date March 5 2007

GATES - Perry Madison Chisholm, 89, farmer, died of congestive heart failure Saturday at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Lauderdale in Ripley. Services will be at 11 a.m. today at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. He was a member of Gates Methodist Church. Mr. Chisholm, the widower of Mildred Fowlkes Chisholm, leaves a daughter, Jean Du Moulin of Gates; a son, Perry Madison Chisholm Jr. of Ripley, four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: September 15, 1997

HALLS - Raymond Clendenin, 69, farmer, died Sunday at Reelfoot Manor Nursing Home in Tiptonville after a long illness. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. today at Gates (Tenn.) Cemetery. Halls Funeral Home has charge. He was a member of Mt. Vernon Baptist Church. Mr. Clendenin leaves a sister, Elsie Webb of Halls; a half-sister, Frankie Taylor of McKenzie; a stepsister, Emmaz Hendrix, and two brothers, Walter Clendenin and Cleveland Clendenin, all of Halls.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: October 5, 1992

HALLS - Dorothy Helen Clendenin, 74, homemaker, died of diabetes Thursday at her home. Services will be at 2 p.m. today at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. She was a member of Mt. Vernon Baptist Church in Unionville. Mrs. Clendenin, the wife of Walter Louis Clendenin, also leaves three daughters, Helen McClain of Unionville, Sandra Roberts of Dyersburg and Charlotte Dowdy of Linden; two sons, Joe Clendenin and Tony Clendenin, both of Unionville; two sisters, Rose Mary Potter of Halls and Shirley Walker of Memphis, 16 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: June 6, 1999

Fay Conyers Coffman, 102, of Memphis, formerly of Gates, Tenn., retired teacher after 40 years, died of pulmonary arrest Monday at Primacy Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Memphis. Services will be at 11 a.m. today at Gates United Methodist Church, where she was a member, with burial in Gates Cemetery. Halls (Tenn.) Funeral Home has charge. She was a Sunday school teacher, a member of United Methodist Women and was thought to be the oldest charter member at the church. She had attended the former Normal State College in Memphis. Mrs. Coffman, the widow of Austin A. Coffman, leaves two sons, Keith C. Coffman and William Coffman, both of Memphis; a brother, William Conyers of Halls, five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: October 31, 1996

GATES-- Frank D. Conyers died here at the home of his father, Dr. J. R. CONYERS, Monday morning. He was 40 years of age, he is survived by his wife, his father, and stepmother, brothers, G. C., of Dayton, Leon, of Carrolton, Ala., William and Alfred; sisters, Mrs. A. A. COFFMAN, of Memphis, Miss Mary CONYERS and Miss Josephine CONYERS; an aunt, Dr. Sarah BLANKENSHIP, of Halls; and three uncles, Dr. Dave CONYERS, and Mr. Sam CONYERS, of Crockett County and Mr. Bob CONYERS, of Memphis. Interment was in Gates Cemetery. Frank was the son of Dr. Joseph R. Conyers & Willie E. Chaney. LAUDERDALE COUNTY ENTERPRISE
RIPLEY, TENNESSEE
OCTOBER 4, 1929

Dr. Joseph R. Conyers ---My heart was touched last week when I read in your paper of the death of Dr. Joseph R. Conyers. He was another one of my unforgettable childhood playmates. Joe, as we called him, was a good boy and lived a long and useful life. But someone has said if the world would have more men like Christ, give us more women like Mary. Hence if we would have more men like Joe, give us more women like his mother and grandmother. I think his father was one of the meekest men I ever knew. And no country ever had a better man than his grandfather, Asa Dean. With this background it is no wonder Joe was a good and useful man. The old people back of him were the soul of honor and the salt of the earth. To my mind the greatest compliment ever bestowed upon a human being either dead or alive is for good people to speak of them and say, "Oh how I miss him." No doubt this remark will be made many times, not only by his dear wife and children (God bless them), but by his many friends and neighbors. Yes, everybody that knew Joe will miss him. A long life of acceptable service to the public. Oh what a compliment. On the other hand, what a comment on the life of a man for his neighbors to say after he is gone. "Well we did not lose much." But the good people of the city of Gates have lost much in the going home of Dr. Joe Conyers. And now to his brothers and sisters and his dear wife and children let me ask in conclusion "Will the circle be unbroken in the by and by." May the blessing of Heaven rest upon each of you. Very kindly,
Rev. W. D. Ellis
901 West 17,
Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Death year 1939

HALLS - William Jennings Conyers, 96, farmer, died Saturday at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis. Services will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Gates Methodist Church with burial in Gates Cemetery. Halls Funeral Home has charge. Mr. Conyers, the widower of Helen Stewart Conyers, leaves a daughter, Dinah Ruch of Los Angeles; a son, John Conyers of San Antonio, three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. The family requests that any memorials be sent to Gates Cemetery or Crockett County Regional Library in Alamo.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: December 29, 2003

HALLS - Helen Louise Conyers, 89, retired teacher in Halls and Alamo and retired librarian from Alamo High School, died of complications of a fractured hip Sunday at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Ripley. Services will be at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. Mrs. Conyers, the wife of William J. Conyers, also leaves a daughter, Dinah Ruch of Los Angeles; a son, John Conyers of San Antonio, three grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: July 10, 2001

DYERSBURG - Darrell Dewayne Davis, 23, died Wednesday of complications from a staph infection at the Regional Hospital of Jackson. Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at J. W. Curry & Son Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. He leaves his parents, Lois Brooks of Jackson and Doyle Davis of Dyersburg.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: February 20, 1998

HALLS - Gene Franklin Davis Jr., 48, of Halls and Memphis, writer and employee of AutoZone, died Friday at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Tipton in Covington. Services will be at 2 p.m. today at Gates Cemetery. Halls Funeral Home has charge. He leaves his parents, Gene F. and Bettie Brandon Davis, and his grandmother, Lois Brandon, all of Halls.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: September 23, 2003

Marilyn Kay Devoto, 49, of Memphis, employee of Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto in Southaven, died of cancer Sunday at Methodist Hospital. Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Gates Cemetery. Memphis Funeral Home Poplar Chapel has charge. She leaves her mother, Mabel Devoto of Memphis.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: December 4, 1995

RIPLEY - Chesley Clayton Dew, 49, heavy-equipment operator for Ford Construction Co, died Thursday of cardiac arrest at his home. Services will be at 3:30 p.m. today at Hall Funeral Home with burial in Gates (Tenn.) Cemetery. Mr. Dew, the husband of Janet Dew, also leaves a daughter, Cara Dew, and three sons, Clay Dew, Michael Dew and Brian Dew, all of Ripley; his mother, Earline Dew of Halls; two sisters, Adell Dew of Union City and Cherrie Ellis of Cedar Hill; a brother, Ronnie Dew of Dyersburg, and two grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: December 9, 1994

HALLS - Mary Zola Dew, 78, homemaker, died of cardiac arrest Saturday at her home. Services will be at 1 p.m. today at First United Methodist Church here, where she was a member, with burial in Gates (Tenn.) Cemetery. Halls Funeral Home has charge. Mrs. Dew, the widow of E. O. Dew, leaves four daughters, Ann Merando of Ripley, Brenda Mullins of Brunswick, Ga., Phyllis Gilliland of Olive Branch and Sandra Clymer of Jackson; two sisters, Wilma Land of Halls and Daisy Smith of Ripley; a brothe r, Earl Tibbs of Ripley, 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: March 20, 1995

RIPLEY -- Ivie Blankenship Dunaway, 98, homemaker, died Friday of pulmonary arrest at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Lauderdale. Services will be at 2 p.m. today at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. Mrs. Dunaway, the widow of Edward Lee Dunaway, leaves a daughter, Pauline Ray of Millington; a son, Edward Dunaway of Ripley, 14 grandchildren, 31 great-grandchildren, six great-great-grandchildren and two great-great-great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: August 14, 1994

GATES - Willette Wilburn Fisher, 83, retired postal clerk, died Friday at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Covington. Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Gates Church of Christ, where she was a member, with burial in Gates Cemetery. Halls Funeral Home has charge. Mrs. Fisher, the widow of Walter Fisher, leaves a daughter, Doris L. Fisher of Munford; a son, Dr. Wilfred Sidney Fisher of Victoria, Texas; three brothers, Dr. Leon Whitaker and Fred Whitaker, both of Deming, N.M., and Carl Whitaker of Covington, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: April 19, 1992

RIPLEY - Kenneth Ray Fitzhugh, 42, supervisor of Pierce Distribution Center in Humboldt, died Wednesday at his home. Services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. Mr. Fitzhugh, the husband of Pamela Dew Fitzhugh, also leaves a daughter, Tiffany Fitzhugh of Gates; a stepdaughter, Kimberly Bentley, and his parents, Lola and Bud Fitzhugh, all of Ripley; a sister, Jennifer Blackwood of Halls; three brothers, Ronald Fitzhugh, Jerry Fitzhugh and Scott Fitzhugh, all of Gates, and three grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: December 21, 2002

HALLS - Mary Elizabeth Fitzhugh, 83, died Saturday at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Lauderdale in Ripley. Services will be at 1 p.m. today at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates (Tenn.) Cemetery. She was a member of Lighthouse Church in Halls. Mrs. Fitzhugh, the widow of Leonard Fitzhugh, leaves two sons, James Fitzhugh of Halls and Bud Fitzhugh of Ripley; two sisters, Sadie Climer of Newbern and Fanny Greer of Halls; a brother, Rubin Goodman of Des Moines, 16 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: September 6, 1993

Gates—Mrs. Frank Garrett died at her home here Sunday evening, after a lingering illness. Funeral services were conducted by her pastor, Rev. C.C. Lewis Monday afternoon at the Methodist Church. Interment was in Gates Cemetery. She is survived by her husband; infant son; father; mother; four sisters; and three brothers.
The Lauderdale County Enterprise Friday February 5, 1932

deceased: R. W. Gholson, Jr.
charge to: R. W. Gholson
address: Gates, Tennessee
date of funeral: 11th February 1920
residence: Gates, TN

Mattie Estella Gholson
MRS.RICHARD W.GHOLSON BURIED SUNDAY..Services for Mrs.Mattie Estella GHOLSON,who died at her home in Gates Saturday after a six-week illness were held Sunday at 2 o'clock in the Church of Christ in Gates.The Rev.R.E.BLACK,Maury City,officiated.Mrs.GHOLSON was born in Maury City,Cockett County, Tenn.,moving to Lauderdale County 50 years ago.She was 72 and amember of the Church of Christ,burial in Gates cemetery.She leaves her husband,R.W.GHOLSON; sister,Mrs.Lula ROUTT,Columbus,Ohio.
THE HALLS GRAPHIC
HALLS,TENNESSEE
FRIDAY AUGUST 9,1946

RIPLEY -- Addie Laura Gooch, 87, homemaker, died Friday at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Lauderdale after a stroke. Services will be at 4 p.m. today at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. She was a member of Mary's Chapel Baptist Church in Ripley. Mrs. Gooch, the widow of Arthur Clinton Gooch, leaves a daughter, Martha Buntin Crain of Ripley; a son, Charlie Gooch of Grapevine, Texas; a sister, Pearl Reeves of Panama City, Fla.; three brothers, Charles Brandon of Dyersburg, Leon Brandon of Dinuba, Calif., and Ralph Brandon of Kingsburg, Calif., and two grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: July 9, 1994

HALLS - Kathleen Gooch, 93, retired teacher for Lauderdale County School System, died Friday at Methodist Healthcare-Germantown. Services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. She was a member of Halls Church of Christ and the Retired Teachers Association. Mrs. Gooch, the widow of Sidney Gooch, leaves a daughter, Quida Belton of Memphis; three sons, Sid Gooch of Germantown, Douglas Gooch of Ripley and Joe Gooch of Collierville; two sisters, Marylee Hendrix of Jackson and Ann Hendrix of Cookeville, seven granddaughters and 11 great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: July 20, 2002

GATES - Lula May Goodwin, 84, retired employee of Halls High School cafeteria, died of pulmonary arrest Saturday at Oakwood Manor in Dyersburg. Services will be at 2 p.m. today at Gates Church of Christ, where she was a member, with burial in Gates Cemetery. Halls Funeral Home has charge. She was a member of the Home Demonstration Club and Gates Public Library. Mrs. Goodwin, the widow of Guy Goodwin, leaves a son, Jerry Goodwin of Halls, two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: August 6, 2001

Ann W. Gray
Ann Whitaker Gray, 80, of Memphis, formerly of Gates, TN. Graveside services will be at 12 noon, Wednesday, January 18, 2006 at Gates Cemetery, Gates, TN. Mrs. Gray wife of Jack Gray died at her residence Saturday. She was an artist, homemaker, member of Faith Presbyterian Church in Memphis. She is preceded in death by two sons, John Gray, Jr. and Claud Gray. She is survived by one grandson, Mathew Gray and one great-granddaughter, Bailey Gray both of Olive Branch, MS.
Halls Funeral Home
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: January 16, 2006

ALAMO -- Graveside services for Eugene Perry Griffin, Sr., 58, will be held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 26, 2004 at Gates Cemetery. Mr. Griffin, retired teacher, died Sunday, May 23, 2004 at Crockett County Nursing Home. He is survived by his wife, Jan Jordan Griffin; son, Perry Griffin of Nashville, TN; grandchildren, Nicole Griffin of Brownsville, TN and Laura Griffin of Alamo, TN; and a brother, John Griffin of Chular, CA. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to The American Heart Association; Gates Cemetery, c/o Shirley Dancy, Gates City Hall, Gates, TN; SOFCB; or a charity of the donor's choice.
Ronk Funeral Home 731-696-5555
Jackson Sun, The (TN)

RIPLEY - Mary Baucom Hamil, 99, homemaker, died of respiratory failure Saturday at Hillhaven Convalescent Center. Services will be at 2 p.m. today at Gates (Tenn.) United Methodist Church, where she was a member, with burial in Gates Cemetery. Garner Funeral Home here has charge. Mrs. Hamil, the widow of Tom Hamil, leaves a niece.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: July 15, 1996

DYERSBURG - Clyde Hamilton Hardin Jr., 66, retiree of Air Force and Hackethorn Manufacturing, died of cancer March 30 at Dyersburg Manor Nursing Home. Services will be at 1 p.m. today at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: April 10, 1998

GATES - Mary Frances Hardy, 79, homemaker, died of cardiopulmonary arrest Friday at Ripley Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center. Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. She was a member of Gates United Methodist Church and Gates Home Demonstration Club. Mrs. Hardy, the widow of Finis Hardy, leaves a son, Gaylon Hardy of Gates; a sister, Christine Johnson of Oklahoma City; two brothers, Jerry Ball of Covington and Lynn Ball of Hurst, Texas, three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: July 9, 2000

HALLS - Byrd Harrell, 89, farmer and retired from Tennessee Highway Dept., died Thursday at Cameron (Mo.) Community Hospital. Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. He was a member of Gates Church of Christ. Mr. Harrell, the husband of Fannie Mae Wade Harrell, also leaves a daughter, Nancy Harrell Bradshaw of Cameron; a sister, Katherine Mansfield of Ripley; two brothers, Bob Harrell of Memphis and Edd Harrell of Ripley, five grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: January 27, 2002

HALLS - Fannie Mae Harrell, 90, homemaker, died Saturday at Quail Run Health Care in Cameron, Mo. Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. She was a member of Gates Church of Christ and the Lauderdale County Home Demonstration Club. Mrs. Harrell, the widow of Byrd Harrell, leaves a daughter, Nancy Bradshaw of Cameron, five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: October 29, 2002

Ella B. Hartman
Mrs. Ella Harward Caldwell, 75, of Gates, retired clerk of Halls Post Office, died Monday at Wm. F. Bowld Hospital. Services were Wednesday in Halls Funeral Home, burial in Gates Cemetery. She leaves her husband, W. C. CALDWELL; and son, James HARTMAN, of Greenwood, Miss. Lauderdale County Enterprise
FRIDAY AUGUST 2, 1968

Mr. J. H. Hartmen died at his home here Monday night. Funeral services were conducted by Dr. L. K. Harding of the Henning Christian
Church. Interment in the Gates Cemetery followed. He was a member of Gates Lodge No.682.F.& A. M., and was buried with Masonic honors. Ripley, Tennessee Friday February 20th 1925

GATES - Ruby Lynn Heathcott, 76, died Tuesday at White County Memorial Hospital in Searcy, Ark. Services will be at 2 p.m.today at First United Methodist Church in Gates, where she was a member, with burial in Gates Cemetery. Halls Funeral Home has charge. She was a member of Women's Missionary Society. Mrs. Heathcott, the widow of Edward Heathcott, leaves two daughters, Reta Ann Thompson of Memphis and Barbara Sue O'Steen of Brownsville; a son, James Edward Heathcott of Heber Springs, Ark.; two sisters, Demetra McWilliams of Gates and Syble Waltrip of Halls; a brother, Ike Childress of Gates, eight grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: July 8, 1993

GATES - Louise Heathcott, 90, homemaker, died Saturday at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Lauderdale in Ripley. Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Garner Funeral Home in Ripley with burial in Gates Cemetery. She was a member of Gates United Methodist Church and United Methodist Women. Mrs. Heathcott, the wife of William Talmage Heathcott, also leaves a daughter, Nancy White, and a son, Jerry Heathcott, both of Ripley; a brother, Harold Robison of California, four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: January 18, 2004

York Henderson, 84, of Gates, retired farmer and owner of Gates Frozen Food Lockers, died Sunday in Parkview Hospital in Dyersburg. Services were at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday in Halls Funeral Home, with burial in Gates Cemetery. He leaves his wife, Julia, and a sister, Mrs. Ruby Sloan of Gates.
Death year 1983

Connie Hughes, 85, of Ripley, retired waitress, died Sunday in Baptist Hospital Lauderdale in Ripley. Rites were set for 2 p.m. Thursday in Garner Funeral Home, with burial in Gates Cemetery. She leaves nieces, Joyce Morris, of Ripley, Shirley Harris, of Covington, and Marcia Harmon, of Millington.
The Lauderdale County Enterprise, Ripley, Tennessee,
January 3, 2008

HALLS - Harry M. Hughes, 76, retired interior decorator, died Monday at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Ripley. Services will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Halls First United Methodist Church with burial in Gates Cemetery. Halls Funeral Home has charge. He was a member of Halls Church of Christ. Mr. Hughes, the husband of Beatrice Hughes, also leaves two stepdaughters, Shirley Roberts of Halls and Charlotte Sorrells of Dyersburg; a son, Harry E. Hughes of Jackson; a sister, Sybil Curlee of Houston, Texas, and two grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: April 20, 1993

GATES - David Moore Hunt, 62, electrical inspector for City of Memphis and Shelby County, died of cancer Tuesday at Methodist Hospital in Memphis. Services will be at 2 p.m. today at Halls Funeral Home in Halls with burial in Gates Cemetery in Gates. He was a Baptist, a Mason and an Army veteran. Mr. Hunt, the husband of Bonnie Jeanette Gilliland Hunt, also leaves a sister, Joyce Newman of Halls, and a brother, Louis Hunt of Ripley.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: April 27, 2000

GATES - Jonas Richard Hunt, 81, retired farmer, died Tuesday at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Lauderdale in Ripley. Services will be at 10 a.m. today at Garner Funeral Home of Ripley with burial in Gates Cemetery. Hunt, the husband of Lena Moore Hunt, also leaves a daughter, Mrs. Joyce Newman of Gates; two sons, Lewis Hunt of Gates and David Hunt of Memphis; a sister, Mrs. Clara Keltner of Ripley; two brothers, J. T. Hunt and Jim Hunt, both of Ripley, three grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: July 25, 1990

GATES - Lena Moore Hunt, 85, homemaker, died Monday night of heart failure at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Lauderdale in Ripley. Services will be at 2 p.m. today at Garner Funeral Home in Ripley with burial in Gates City Cemetery. She was a member of Gates Baptist Church. Mrs. Hunt, the widow of Richard Hunt, leaves a daughter, Joyce Newman of Gates; two sons, Louis Hunt of Gates and David Hunt of Memphis, three grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: June 12, 1996

Willie Mack Jester, 68, of Gates, died Tuesday of last week in Baptist Hospital Lauderdale in Ripley. Rites were Sunday in Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. He leaves daughters, Tammy Henson, of Gates, and Tina Reeves Kemerling, of Pleasant Hill, Mo.; their Mother, Betty Jester Robinson, of Gates; a brother, Milford, of Memphis; a sister, Betty Newman, of Ripley; and eight grandchildren.
The Lauderdale County Enterprise, Ripley, Tennessee, June 1, 2007

GATES - Eva Doyle Thurmond 'Nanny' Jones, 79, of Memphis, homemaker, died of heart failure Friday at Methodist Healthcare-Central in Memphis. Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Garner Funeral Home in Ripley with burial in Gates Cemetery. She was a member of Gates Methodist Church. Mrs. Jones, the wife of Paige Jones, also leaves a daughter, Pat Jones Balderrama, and a son, Dennis Jones, both of Memphis; five sisters, Zona Childress, Buton 'Polly' Jackson and Crystal Jackson, all of Gates, Ruby Turner of Forked Deer and Joyce Bentley of Bloomington, Ill.; a brother, Buddy Thurmond of Gates, and four grandchildren. The family requests that memorials be sent to the American Heart Association or the Arthritis Foundation.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: December 2, 2001

W.T. Jones
After an illness of several months, Mr. W. T. Jones, age 52 years, died
at his home here Thursday night of last week. Funeral services were
conducted by his pastor, Rev. J. K. Paffoprd at the M. E. Church Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock and the remains laid to rest in the Gates Cemetery. Deceased was a member of Gates Lodge No.682,and was buried with Masonic honors. Mr. Jones had been a resident of Gates for 13 years and numbered among our most progressive citizens and business man. He was a steward in the Methodist Church and a good man. He is survived by a wife; two sisters, Mrs. Tip Worrell & Mrs. Ed Worrell of Trenton; one nephew, Collins Graves; and one niece, Miss Louise Graves, who made their
home with him, and to whom he was indeed a father. Ripley, Tennessee Friday February 20th, 1925

GATES - David Carroll Kelly, 59, associate professor of English literature for Dyersburg State Community College, died Saturday at Ripley Health Care Center. Memorial services will be at 4 p.m. Friday at Dyersburg State Community College Student Center. George A. Smith & Sons Funeral Home in Jackson has charge. He leaves a sister, Nancy Kelly of White House, and three brothers, Joe M. Kelly of Des Moines, Iowa, William G. Kelly of Gates and James T. 'Tommy' Kelly of Jackson.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: March 6, 2002

GATES - Addie Evelyn Kelly, 83, retired school cook, died of cardiac arrest Saturday at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Lauderdale in Ripley. Services will be at 1 p.m. today at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. She was a member of Gates First Baptist Church. She leaves a sister, Lucille Bryson of North Little Rock, Ark., and two nephews who took care of her, Bill Kelly and David Kelly, both of Gates.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: April 26, 1999

Mrs.Sallie Kelly; Gates,Tenn., Feb. 6TH. Services for Mrs.Sallie KELLY of Gates, who died Monday night at Gartley-Ramsey Hospital, Memphis, were held Wednesday at Gates Methodist Church, Rev. W. T. M. JONES, Rev. C. C. LEWIS and Rev. W. A. BAKER officiating. Burial in Gates cemetery. She has been ill four years and critically ill a week. She was 64, the widow of John KELLY. She leaves six daughters, Miss Donnie KELLY, assistant superintendent of nurses at Gartly-Ramsey Hospital, the Misses Jennie, Anna and Addie KELLY, all of Gates, Mrs. D. N. CHANDLER, of Knoxville, and Mrs. T. E. JAMISON, of Covington; two sons, James KELLY, of Memphis, and Grady KELLY, of Gates; three brothers, Dr. T. E. MILLER, of Ripley, W. T. MILLER, of Memphis, and Joe MILLER, of Long Beach, Calif.
THE HALLS GRAPHIC
HALLS,TENNESSEE
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 8,1946

GATES - Mrs. Gladys Hill Kelly, 64, died Sunday at Methodist Hospital of Dyersburg after a long illness. Services will be at 3 p.m. Tuesday at First United Methodist Church, where she was a Sunday school teacher, with burial in Gates Cemetery. Halls Funeral Home has charge. Mrs. Kelley, the widow of William G. Kelly, also leaves a daughter, Miss Nancy Louise Kelly of Los Angeles; four sons, David Kelly and William G. Kelly, both of Gates, Joe Kelly of Des Moines, Iowa, and James Tommy Kelly of Jackson; a brother, Thomas Hill of Brownsville, and four grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: July 16, 1990

Bryan K. Koontz SR., age 62 passed away on Friday, July 23, 2004 of complications from Leukemia. He was born in Quincy, Illinois, on September 2, 1941 the son of Ralph and Ruth (Crouse) Koontz. He was married on November 13, 1966 to Lana Williams of Gates, Tennessee. He is survived by his beloved wife, Lana, and his four children; Bryan Koontz, Jr., of Washington, D.C., Jason Koontz, of Chicago, IL., Ethan (Kristin) Koontz, of Orlando, FL., and Leanne (fiance, David Keeler) Koontz, of Jakarta, Indonesia; a brother Michael Koontz and three sisters; Sherry (John) Pachciarz, of Franklin, TN., Maureen (Rick) Koehl, of Black Earth and Dixie (Dennis) Brunner, of Kanab, UT; 13 nieces and nephews; five grandnieces and grand nephews and countless others whose lives he touched and enriched. Burial will be on Thursday at 11:00 a.m. in the Gates Cemetery, Gates, Tennessee. Gunderson West Funeral Home Middleton.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: July 27, 2004

Chris E. Larson, 51, of Memphis, chemist for Humko, died Friday at his home. Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Trinity United Methodist Church, where he was a member of the Disciple Ministry, with burial in Gates (Tenn.) Cemetery. Memorial Park Funeral Home has charge. He was a member of the National Beta Club, recipient of the Unsung Hero Award and a volunteer in preparing packages for active troops. He leaves three sisters, Millie Nester of Collierville, Johanne Stutts of Halls, Tenn., and Betty Sasser of Bartlett, and a brother, Jimmy Larson of Dyersburg, Tenn. The family requests that any memorials be sent to Trinity United Methodist Church.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: November 14, 2004

GATES - Robert Moore Lawrence, 80, farmer, died of a subdural hematoma Wednesday at Baptist Memorial Hospital East in Memphis. Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. He was a member of the Church of Christ. Mr. Lawrence, the widower of Catherine Moore Lawrence, leaves two daughters, Dorothy Ann Lawrence and Nyoka Ottinger, both of Gates; a sister, Margaret Wilson of Halls; a brother, Will Lawrence of Gates, a grandchild and three great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: May 9, 1997

GATES - Katherine Lawrence, 72, died Monday at Baptist Memorial Hospital- Lauderdale in Ripley. Services will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. She was a member of Halls First Baptist Church. Mrs. Lawrence, the wife of Robert Lawrence, also leaves two daughters, Dorothy Ann Lawrence of Gates and Nyoka Ottinger of Greeneville; a sister, Lena Hunt of Gates, a grandchild and two great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: September 28, 1993

Mrs. Marina Mitchell Lee, 87, of Memphis, retired dental assistant, died of heart failure Wednesday at her home. Services will be at noon Friday at Memphis Funeral Home Poplar Chapel with burial in Gates (Tenn.) Cemetery. Mrs. Lee was a member of Galloway United Methodist Church and was the widow of George W. Lee. The family requests that any memorials may be made to a charity of the donor's choice. Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: June 27, 1991

GATES---Julia Deleplace Lee was born in Waterloo, N.Y., March 19th,1844. After the death of mother and only sister, she moved with her father to Brownsville, Tennessee, where he, a cultured Frenchman, taught the languages in the Presbyterian College of that place. The following year she graduated this school, being only 15 years of age. She then began her early career of teaching, which she followed for 35 years, contributing her time and talent to the culture of the rising generation. She professed faith in Christ and joined the Brownsville Presbyterian Church at the age of 14 years. In October, 1864, she was married to Dr. George W. Lee, of Forked Deer, who preceded her in death 25 years. They reared seven children to adulthood. They are: Mrs. M. W. Savage, George W. Lee, Florence Green (who departed this life April 14, 1911), Mrs.Corinne Perry, Messrs. Henry F. & Percy Lee and Mrs. Nettie Baker. She also helped her husband rear three older children by a former marriage: Mrs. Sid Evans of Ripley, Messrs. John H.& Ed Lee, both of Gates. In 1886, she united with the Baptist church and remained a consistant member until her death, which came to her April 14th,1925.She loved life and took a great interest in her friends and loved ones until the end, having past her 81st birthday. An impressive funeral service was conducted at the home, followed by interment at the Gates Cemetery.
Ripley, Tennessee Friday April 24th, 1925

RIPLEY - Rose Lemons, 59, homemaker, died Thursday at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Lauderdale. Services will be at 1 p.m. Monday at Cornerstone Fellowship Church, where she was a member, with burial in Gates Cemetery. Garner Funeral Home has charge. Mrs. Lemons, the wife of Billy Lemons, also leaves five daughters, Kathy Riddick and Cindy Jones, both of Dyersburg, Angela Finley of Malvern, Ark., Susan West of Arizona and Rose Nichols of Alamo; two sons, Billy Lemons Jr. of Henning and Michael Lemons of Dyersburg; a brother, Barton Simmons of Brighton, 29 grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: October 11, 2003

R. V. Lilley, 85, retired president of Gates Banking and Trust Co. and a former alderman, died Saturday at Methodist Hospital-Dyersburg. Services will be at 2 p.m. today at Gates Church of Christ with burial in Gates Cemetery. Halls (Tenn.) Funeral Home has charge. He served two terms as a city alderman for Gates in the 1940s. Mr. Lilley was named president of the bank in 1943 and retired on Jan. 1, 1986. He was a member of the executive committee of the Tennessee Banker's Association. He was a graduate of Memphis Normal School, now Memphis State University. He was a member of the Gates Church of Christ where he was a Sunday school teacher. Mr. Lilley, the husband of Bessie Goodwin Lilley, also leaves a son, Loy Lilley of Chattanooga, three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: April 13, 1992

GATES - Bessie Loriane Lilley, 91, homemaker and former teacher, died Thursday of heart failure at her home. Services will be at 11 a.m. today at Gates First United Methodist Church, where she was a member, with burial in Gates Cemetery. Halls Funeral Home has charge. She had taught at Perry School and was a Sunday school teacher, president of United Methodist Women and a member of Halls Garden Club. Mrs. Lilley, the widow of R. V. Lilley, leaves a son, Loy Lilley of Nashville; a sister, Vada Carlton of Dyersburg, three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: December 3, 1994

HALLS - Miss Inez Martin, 86, retired teacher, died Wednesday at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Ripley after a long illness. Services will be at 2 p.m. today at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates (Tenn.) Cemetery. She was a member of Melville United Methodist Church near here. Miss Martin leaves a sister, Mrs. Kate Covington of Halls.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: December 28, 1990

HALLS - Thomas O'Neil Martin, 88, retired building contractor and farmer, died Friday at Chandler's Rest Home in Ripley after a long illness. Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. He was a member of Melville Methodist Church. Martin, the widower of Nora Bell Martin, leaves a daughter, Mrs. Dorothy M. Henderson; two sons, Thomas O'Neil Martin Jr. and Charles Martin, and two sisters, Mrs. Kate Covington and Miss Inez Martin, all of Halls, five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: November 4, 1990

Ruby M. McKinnon
Gates - Ruby M. Pennington, 92, died Thursday night in the Martin Health Care Center. Service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, February 4, at Halls Funeral Home Chapel. Burial in the Gates Cemetery. Mrs. Pennington, widow of A. T. McKinnon and H. J. Pennington, was a retired store owner, General Merchandise in Gates, and a 50 year member of Eastern Star. She leaves nieces and nephews, Patsy Glass Duncan, Elizabeth Duncan Lund, William Lloyd Duncan, Amanda K. Lund, Rebecca E. Lund, Doris Irvin Daniels, and Thomas Daniels Irvin. Memorials may be sent to the Halls Methodist Church. Halls Funeral Home 731-836-7111
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: February 4, 2006

HALLS - Joe Ike McWilliams, 60, retired from the Tennessee Air National Guard, died of cancer Saturday at Methodist Hospital in Memphis. Services will be at 3 p.m. today at Halls Funeral Home with burial at Gates Cemetery. He was a member of Halls United Methodist Church and served in the Air Force during the Korean War. Mr. McWilliams, the husband of Katherine Cavness McWilliams, also leaves a daughter, Karen Jo Thompson of Bartlett; a brother, Larry McWilliams of Halls, and a grandson.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: March 3, 1996

Mr. W.L. Milam, age 50, died at the home of Mr. John Tomlinson early Friday morning. Funeral services were held at the Methodist Church the following day, interment was in Gates cemetery. Deceased is survived by four children, Mrs. Paul Rogers Pryor, Mr. Leo Milam, Mr. I.F. Milam, of Nashville, and Miss Gladys Milam; also several brothers and sisters. ENTERPRISE Friday January 1, 1926

Halls - James D. Mitchell, 69, passed on February 24, 2007. Services will be at 4 p.m. at the Halls Funeral Home. He is survived by his wife, Linda Mitchell. Burial will be in Gates Cemetery in Gates, TN.
Halls Funeral Home
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: February 26, 2007

HALLS - Maxine Mitchell, 83, former grocery store owner-operator and homemaker, died of cardiac arrest Saturday at Lauderdale County Health Care Center in Ripley. Services will be at 2 p.m. today at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. She was a member of Elon Baptist Church in the Double Bridges community. Mrs. Mitchell, the widow of Monroe Mitchell, leaves three sons, Thomas Mitchell of Memphis, and James Mitchell and Jerry Mitchell, both of Ripley; a sister, Ruth Standridge, and a brother, Henry Lee, both of Memphis, four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: February 17, 1997

Halls - Johnny Wesley Moore, 45. Funeral service will be at 1 p.m. Thursday, March 30, 2006 in the chapel of Halls Funeral Home.
Halls Funeral Home
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: March 28, 2006

RIPLEY - Montine Moore, 94, homemaker, died Thursday at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Lauderdale. Services will be at 2 p.m. today at Garner Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. She was a member of Halls Baptist Church. Mrs. Moore, the widow of John Moore, leaves four daughters, Martha Louise Reed and Betty Norris, both of Shelton, Wash., Peggy Doop of Gates and Sylvia Todd of Ripley; five sons, Tommy Moore and John 'Junior' Moore, both of Halls, Eugene Moore of Alabama, Larry Don Moore of Gates and Billy Wayne Moore of Triangle, Va., 27 grandchildren, 54 great-grandchildren and 22 great-great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: March 9, 2002

R. J. Moore
PROMINENT GATES CITIZEN DIES. R. J. MOORE, 86, prominent pioneer resident of Gates died Saturday after long illness. (Former President of Gates Bank & Trust; Representative of Lauderdale County for two terms; etc.) Services were held at his residence Monday by his pastor, Rev. W. O. BEARD. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Cornelia MOORE; two daughters, Mrs. Walter R. BROWNE, Memphis and Mrs. H. T. NEELY, Amarilla,Texas.
THE HALLS GRAPHIC
HALLS,TENNESSEE
FRIDAY JANUARY 25,1946

HALLS - Mrs. Frances Palma Naylor, 70, died Saturday at Methodist Hospital in Memphis. Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at J. W. Curry & Son Funeral Home in Dyersburg with burial in Gates Cemetery. Mrs. Naylor, the widow of Roy Thomas Naylor, leaves five daughters, Ms. Annette Davis of Friendship, Ms. Brenda Bruley and Ms. Marilyn Webb, both of Memphis, Ms. Denise Gaba of Halls and Ms. Donna Naylor Totty of Troy; three sons, Gordon Naylor of Owensburg, Ky., Harrell Naylor of Bartlett, Ill., and Roy A. Naylor of Memphis; five sisters, Ms. Mildred Shipley and Ms. Ernestine Kilzer, both of Dyersburg, Ms. Adele Howard of Dallas, Ms. Agnes Gordon of Elma, Wash., and Ms. Dorothy Hatch of Memphis; two brothers, Benjamin Baker of Emporia, Va., and Fred Baker of Salem, Ore., 24 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: February 4, 1991

HALLS - Iuta Nolen, 64, homemaker and retired from Tupperware Co., died Wednesday at her home. Services will be at 3 p.m. today at Westside Baptist Church, where she was a member, with burial in Gates Cemetery. Halls Funeral Home has charge. Mrs. Nolen, the widow of Bobby Joe Nolen, leaves three daughters, Debra Wooster and Glenda Ward, both of Halls, and Dena Davis of Gates; a son, Michael Nolen of Luckett; a sister, Martha Ham of Henry; a brother, Albert Bell of Arlington, nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. The family requests that memorials be sent to Westside Baptist Church.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: March 28, 2003

BROWNSVILLE - Barbara Sue O'Steen, 62, cashier for Hooper Exxon, died of pulmonary failure Sunday at Jackson-Madison County General Hospital in Jackson. Services will be at 2 p.m. today at Halls Funeral Home in Halls with burial in Gates Cemetery in Gates. She was a member of Poplar Grove Baptist Church. She leaves two daughters, Janice Tillman of Halls and Jackie Pratt of Friendship; two sons, Bobby Paris of Halls and James O'Steen of Henderson; a sister, Rita Ann Thompson of Millington; a brother, Edward Heathcott of Heber Springs, Ark., eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: February 15, 2000

HALLS - Gerald Wade Pannell, 65, died Sunday at his home. Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday in Gates (Tenn.) Cemetery. Halls Funeral Home has charge. He was a member of New Life Fellowship Church in Ripley. Mr. Pannell leaves two friends who cared for him, Annette and Billy Ray Lemmons.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: December 18, 2001

W. D. Parker, lifelong resident of Crockett and Lauderdale Counties, died at a hospital in Louisville, Ky., Wednesday afternoon after a year's illness. He was the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Parker. He formerly served as mayor, postmaster and merchant of Gates. He was a member of the Gates Church of Christ. He was 84. Services were conducted Saturday morning at 10 a.m. at the Halls Funeral Home by the Rev. R. E. Black of Maury City with Halls Funeral Home in charge. Burial was in Gates Cemetery.
He leaves one daughter, Mrs. Clarence Bond and two granddaughters, all of Louisville; one brother, E. G. Parker, Sr., of Gates; three sisters, Mrs. A. F. Lucas of Canton, Miss., Mrs. Mary Ferguson of Memphis and Mrs. Laura McPherson of Whitehaven.
The Crockett Times
Alamo, Tennessee
Thursday, February 22, 1951

Gerald Dee Parish, 69, of Halls, died Wednesday of last week. Rites were Monday in Gates Cemetery, Halls Funeral Home in charge. He leaves his wife, Cathy; a son, Bobby Parish, and a daughter, Janice Tillman, of Halls; another daughter, Jackie Harmon, of Scottsville, Va.; a step-son, Jeff Maclin, of Ripley; a step-daughter, Lisa Dees, of Halls; a brother, Lloyd Parish, of Halls; sisters, Bertha Mae Robison, of Ripley, Elizabeth Ann "Doll" Moore, of Gates, and Pauline Smith, of Brownsville; eight grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
The Lauderdale County Enterprise, Ripley, Tennessee, June 21, 2007

GATES - Hal J. Pennington, 67, farmer, cattleman and owner of Pennington Seed & Supply in Dyersburg, died of liver disease Sunday at his home. Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Gates First United Methodist Church, where he was a member, with burial in Gates. Halls Funeral Home has charge. He was a Korean War veteran, a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion, and served as Lauderdale County commissioner for 32 years and as director of Lauderdale County Bank in Halls. Mr. Pennington, the husband of Betty Jones Pennington, also leaves two daughters, Cynthia Pennington of Atlanta and Betty Holcombe of Dallas; a son, Hal M. Pennington, and his stepmother, Ruby M. Pennington, both of Gates; a sister, Carolyn Thompson of Memphis, four grandchildren and a stepgrandchild.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: February 23, 1998

Funeral services for M. T. L. Pennington were held Saturday afternoon at the Methodist Church. Burial was in Gates Cemetery. He died Friday evening 6 o'clock at his home near here.
Ripley, Tennessee Friday April 24th, 1925

RIPLEY - Othel Ray Perry, 44, mechanic, died Wednesday of heart failure at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Lauderdale. Graveside services will be at 1:30 p.m. today in Gates (Tenn.) Cemetery. Garner Funeral Home has charge. Mr. Perry leaves two daughters, Patty Lynn Perry and Sherry Perry, and two sons, Raymond Eugene Perry and Jimmy John Perry, all of Illinois; a stepson, Perry Dunaway, and his mother and stepfather, Sylvia and Curtis Childress, all of Ripley; a half-brother, Thomas Eugene Childress of Ashland City; his grandmother, Winnie Mae Parrott of Ripley, and seven grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: February 9, 1996

RIPLEY - Sue Dunaway Perry, 45, died Sunday at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis. Services will be at 2 p.m. today at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. She was a member of Calvary Baptist Church. Mrs. Perry, the wife of Ray Perry, also leaves a son, Terry Dunaway of Ripley; two sisters, Jean Waterson of Henning and Judy Anderson of Vanndale, Ark.; a brother, Bill Dunaway of Memphis, and her grandmother, Ivie Dunaway of Ripley.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: August 10, 1992

GATES -- Annie Mae Pickard, 85, homemaker, died Wednesday of renal failure at Hillhaven Nursing Home in Ripley. Services will be at 10 a.m. today at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. She was a member of Gates Baptist Church. Mrs. Pickard, the widow of Oakley Pickard, leaves a daughter, Shirley Holley of Dallas; two sons, Billy Pickard of Ripley and Steve Pickard of RoEllen, and two grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: March 25, 1994

Marcelle Fleming Pickard, 83, passed away on January 22, 2007. Visitation is from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. today, January 24, followed by 2 p.m. funeral services, both at Garner Funeral Home. Burial in Gates Cemetery.
Garner Funeral Home
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: January 24, 2007

Marjorie Raines LED THE FIGHT IN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES. For more than 40 years Marjorie Griffin Raines was active in local environmental issues, from working to stop the proposed Overton Park expressway to taking part in efforts to set aside a greenbelt along the Wolf River. She spoke out for environmental causes and grass-roots political involvement. Friends and relatives said the former teacher used her knowledge and a belief in the fundamental tools of democracy to make a difference. Mrs. Raines died Monday at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis following a series of strokes. She was 84. Mrs. Raines often expressed her views in blunt terms. "Of course, I'm not an engineer, but building into that bluff is kind of risky business, I think," she said in 1992 when, as a founder of the Chickasaw Bluffs Conservancy, she expressed concerns about plans for a downtown bluff walk. The conservancy was founded to guarantee public access to the bluffs overlooking Riverside Drive and the Mississippi River. The comment was characteristic of the way Mrs. Raines spoke her mind, said her son, Kenneth Raines of Memphis. "She was absolutely straightforward, from the hip," he said. "She was that way with most people she was involved with. She stated her issues in a very direct manner." She was born in Gates, a rural West Tennessee area that set the stage for a lifelong love of nature. Mrs. Raines graduated from what is now the University of Memphis and taught for 10 years in public schools in West and East Tennessee. She quit teaching in 1949 when she moved with her family to Memphis. The city's artesian water supply drew her attention and she began researching the geology and water system and became an early environmental activist. She frequently spoke to civic groups about the need to protect the water supply. The city prided itself on its pure water and clean streets, but environmentalists weren't part of the city's political mix at the time. "We don't live in an exciting environmental area. We don't have a seashore to be concerned about. We don't have mountain peaks to protect," she said in a 1991 interview. When Mrs. Raines joined the local League of Women Voters in 1970 the combination of politics and environmental concerns was about to become a powerful force in the city's history. At the time the city was still dumping 60 million gallons of sewage a day into local rivers. Mrs. Raines said later that the local environmental movement was limited to "hippies and little old ladies in tennis shoes." Few others were talking about aquifer recharge areas or even something as simple as recycling. "We really weren't aware of the seriousness of the problem. We were more concerned with litter than anything else," she said in a 1990 interview. In 1972, Mrs. Raines was part of a lawsuit against the Tennessee Valley Authority that charged the federal agency with violating the Clean Air Act at the Allen Steam Plant in Memphis. TVA settlement of the lawsuit included remedies to cut emissions. Mrs. Raines used her experience with TVA to write a handbook to help citizens negotiate the agency's red tape and explain the functions of its many departments. She was also part of the organized opposition to an expressway route through Overton Park in the 1970s. Opponents of the extension succeeded in stalling the project for decades and finally stopping it altogether. After that controversy Mrs. Raines remained involved in efforts to preserve the park's forest. She belonged to and led many civic groups including the Sierra Club, the Wolf River Conservancy and the Memphis Wildflower Society. The Women of Achievement awards in 1995 honored her for her steadfast support of environmental issues. Mrs. Raines, the widow of William Hunter Raines, also leaves a brother, Jon Griffin, of Scottsdale, Ariz., seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. The family requests that any memorials be made to the American Diabetes Association or the American Heart Association. - Bill Dries: 529-2643
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: December 27, 2001

Philip Hunter Raines, 47, of Memphis, died of heart failure Monday at his home. Family Funeral Care Summer Avenue Chapel has charge. He leaves his mother, Marjorie Raines of Memphis, and a brother, Kenneth Raines of Halls, Tenn. The family requests that memorials be sent to the American Heart Association.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: October 11, 2001

Gates - Aaron Reece, 57, trucker, died Wednesday at Oakwood Manor in Dyersburg. Services were Saturday at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. He leaves a daughter, Tina Elmore, and a son, Steven Reece, both of Alamo; four sisters, Nancy Rose and Opal Robertson, both of Gates, Vernice Scott of Brighton and Dolly Cole of Perryton, Texas; a brother, Larry Reece of Dyersburg, and five grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: June 5, 2005

GATES - Frank Walker Reece, 80, retired farmer and truck driver, died of cancer Thursday at his home. Services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. He was a World War II Army veteran and a member of Curve Baptist Church. Mr. Reece, the widower of Nellie Mae Long Reece, leaves four daughters, Nancy Rose, Dolly Cole and Opal Robertson, all of Gates, and Vernice Scott of Brighton; two sons, Aaron Reece of Louisiana and Larry Reece of Halls; a sister, Mary Alice Turner of Alamo, 16 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: April 1, 2000

Gates - Flossie Smith Robison, 88, homemaker and retired from Tupperware, died Sunday at Dyersburg Manor. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. today at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. She was a member of Gates Methodist Church and Women's Society of Christian Service. Mrs. Robison, the widow of Robert Lee Robison, leaves two daughters, Ann Smith of Gates and Kay Hansford of Halls; a brother, Rufus Smith of Ripley, four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. The family requests that any memorials be sent to the American Cancer Society or a charity of the donor's choice.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: February 8, 2005

HALLS - Alene Sanders, 80, of Southaven, Miss., formerly of Halls, homemaker and former owner/operator of Halls Dairy Queen, died of myocardial infarction Friday at Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto in Southaven. Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates (Tenn.) Cemetery. She was a member of Halls First United Methodist Church. Mrs. Sanders, the widow of Charlie Sanders, leaves three sisters, Rena Wheatley of Ripley, Opal White of Halls and Jeanette L. Baker of Memphis, and a brother, Charles Baker of Dyersburg.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: October 1, 2000

Robert Louis Shackelton, 81, of Memphis, died Thursday morning at High Pointe Health Care and Rehabilitation Center in Memphis. Service will be at 2 p.m. Monday, March 6 at Halls Funeral Home Chapel. Burial in the Gates Cemetery. He was a World War II veteran, member of Memorial Methodist Church in Brighton, TN, a member of Pro Rodeo Calf Roping Association, and a Gold Card member. He is survived by his wife, Betty Frye White Shackelton; a son, Robert Shackelton, Jr. of Red Banks, MS; three daughters, Robin Smith of Oakland, TN, Becky Richardson of Commerce, TX, Linn Shackelton of Somerville; three stepchildren; and three grandchildren, Sean Pruett, Rachel Shackelton and Gordon Graham.
Halls Funeral Home
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: March 4, 2006

GATES - Vester 'Peecola' Shepard, 84, retired technician for Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis, constable and police officer, died Thursday night at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Lauderdale. Services will be at 2 p.m. today at Garner Funeral Home in Ripley with burial in Gates Cemetery. Mr. Shepard, the husband of Elsie Roberts Shepard, also leaves two daughters, Shirley Harris of Gates and Ann Gray of Ripley; a son, Bill Shepard of Ripley, eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: February 15, 1992

GATES - Elsie Mildred Shepard, 89, homemaker, died of heart failure Tuesday at Ripley Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center. Services will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Garner Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. She was a member of Gates Methodist Church. Mrs. Shepard, the wife of Vester 'Pecole' Shepard, also leaves two daughters, Shirley Harris of Gates and Ann Gray of Atoka; a son, Bill Shepard of Ripley, seven grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and a great-great-grandchild.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: November 26, 1998

GATES--Mr. J. R. Simmons ,72 , died suddenly at his home near Gates Friday night after suffering a stroke. He was born in Logan County, Ky., Feb.12th,1860, and moved to Lauderdale when six years of age. He was twice married. His first wife was before her marriage, Miss Bettie KIRKSEY. To the union six children were born, five of whom survive, Mrs. F. R. DICKENS, of Ann Arbor, Mich., R. H. SIMMONS of Brownsville, Mrs. W. B. TRAVIS of Gates; H. A. SIMMONS of Evanston, Ill., G. E. SIMMONS of New Orleans; one sister Mrs. J. M. McKINNON, of Halls. His second wife before her marriage was Miss Myrtle DAWSON, survives.
Interment in Gates Cemetery.
LAUDERDALE COUNTY ENTERPRISE
FRIDAY JUNE 10, 1932

Mrs. Senthia Elizabeth Simmons, wife of John R. Simmons, who was perhaps the foremost developer of Lauderdale County's strawberry industry from the time of its beginning more than 20 years ago, died at her home near Gates Tuesday night after several years illness. Mrs. Simmons was an invalid the last eight years of her life, but did not become critically ill until Sunday night. She was born at Edith and was the daughter of Mr.& Mrs. Alex Kirksey, neither of whom survives her. She was married when 18 years old, and to this union seven children were born, the following five of whom survive: Harvey A. Simmons, instructor in the University of Chicago; George E. Simmons, city editor of the Nashville Tennessean; Richard H. Simmons, well-known farmer of Gates; Mrs. Ethel Dickens, of Ann Arbor, Mich., and Mrs. Ela Travis of Gates. The following sisters survives; Mrs. Emma Williams, Gates; Mrs. M. E. Griffith, Memphis; Mrs. John Curlin, Nocana, Texas; Mrs. Laura Richardson, Halespoint, Tenn.; and Mrs. Addie King ,Calif. Funeral services were held at Gates Methodist episcopal Church South, Interment in Gates Cemetery.
Ripley, Tennessee Friday April 24th, 1925

P.S. Sloan -- A Good Man Fallen
It is with a deep sense of loss and grief that we write of the death of
Mr. P.S. Sloan of Gates. After about thirty-six hours of suffering caused by being struck by a freight train, he passed away at 9 pm on Nov. 20 in the Baird Brewer hospital at Dyersburg. Loving hands and medical science put forth every effort, but to no avail. He was born and reared in Gibson County near Humboldt and was 56 years old. He came to Gates while still a young man and was employed by the I.C. Railroad. Thirty of his best years were spent in efficient service as section foreman. He was thrifty and business-like in his affairs, making a marked success. In the passing of Mr. Sloan, Gates has lost a spendid citizen, the Masonic Order a valued member, the Methodist church a consistant adherent, and his family a most devoted husband and father. Funeral services were conducted by Rev. John M. Jenkins of Hornbeak his former pastor, assisted by Dr. Fred Peeples of Dyersburg and Rev. W.L. Drake of Gates.In preaching his funeral, Bro. Jenkins truthfully said, “Sloan was a loyal warm friend to his pastor, very bountifully he gave to his church in loyalty, attendance and of his means. In his quiet way he met every demand promptly and cheerfully. His peoples’ interests were close to his big heart and his was a labor of love for those near and dear to him. He always strove to carry out every wish of his wife and children, wearing a pleasant smile all the while.” Besides a host of friends and relatives, he leaves a widow, Mrs. Mattie Witt Sloan; three children, Miss Byrd Sloan, Mr. Norman Sloan and Mrs. Ernest Briggs of Senath, Mo. To mourn his death to these in sad bereavement we extend our heartfelt sympathy. He was buried with impressive Masonic rites amidst a large concourse of fellow Masons, railroad men, friends and relatives. Active pallbearers were J.T. Hamil, S.B. Hill, C.P. Humphreys, W.T. Clark, W.G. Vaughan and J.R. Murchison. Honorary pallbearers were A.T. Batts, R.L. Hardy, John Dame and T.J. Dudley. Interment was in Gates Cemetery
beneath a mound of flowers. A Friend ENTERPRISE Friday December 3, 1926

GATES - Jimmie Lewis Smith, 67, retired from Tupperware, died Thursday at the Regional Hospital of Jackson. Services will be at 2 p.m. today at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. He was a member of Poplar Grove Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Mr. Smith, the husband of Judy Smith, also leaves two daughters, Donna Peerenboom of Gates and Anita Baskin of Covington; two sons, David L. Smith of Caruthersville, Mo., and Eugene Coffey of Halls; his stepmother, Gatra Bradshaw of Greenway, Ark.; a sister, Francene Salemi, and a brother, Donald Smith, both of Halls; a half-sister, Janice Watkins of St. Louis, four grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: June 21, 2003

Halls - Ruth Sturdivant, 85, retired from Tupperware, died Sunday at Dyersburg Regional Medical Center. Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. Mrs. Sturdivant, the widow of Fred Sturdivant, leaves a son, Vernon Sturdivant of Chicago; a sister, Ruby Buton Ward, and a brother, Ermen Riley Jr., both of Halls, four grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: May 24, 2005

HALLS - Jimmy E. Taylor, 63, retired banker, died Saturday at Methodist Healthcare-Dyersburg. Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Westside Baptist Church, where he was a deacon, with burial in Gates Cemetery. Halls Funeral Home has charge. He was an Army veteran, a member of the Rotary Club and a Paul Harris Fellow. Mr. Taylor, the husband of Audrey Jean Smith Taylor, also leaves a daughter, Tonya Jacobs, and a son, Todd Taylor, both of Halls; two sisters, Doris Harrison of Halls and Diane Dowell of Ripley; a brother, Charles Taylor of Halls, and four grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: December 30, 2001

Mrs. Lillie Annie Pearl Throgmorton, 85, of Halls, died at 8 p.m. Tuesday of last week in Dyersburg Methodist Hospital. Services were at 2 p.m. Friday in Halls Funeral Home, with burial in Gates Cemetery. She leaves a daughter, Mrs. Opal Robbins, of Ripley; a brother, Clyde Hardin, of Dyersburg; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Date of death March 15 1988

HALLS - Gerald 'Gub' Thurmond, 60, former owner of B&T Body Shop, died of complications from leukemia Wednesday at Parkview Hospital in Dyersburg. Services will be at 1 p.m. today at Westside Baptist Church, where he was a member, with burial in Gates (Tenn.) Cemetery. Halls Funeral Home has charge. He was a member of GWRRA Motorcycle Club Chapter 2 Gold Wing Riders. He leaves a daughter, Linda Carol Thurmond of Gates; his mother and stepfather, Geraldean Thurmond and Alan Tomlinson, and a half-brother, Dewayne Tomlinson, all of Southaven, and a friend who helped care for him, Jean Dew of Halls.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: November 25, 2000

GATES - Grace Thurmond, 84, retired from Tupperware, died of heart failure Friday at Bells Nursing Home. Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Gates Baptist Church, where she was a member, with burial in Gates Cemetery. Garner Funeral Home in Ripley has charge. Mrs. Thurmond, the widow of Neil Thurmond, leaves two sons, Bobby Thurmond of Halls and Wyman Thurmond of Gates; a sister, Dorothy Robinson of Dyersburg, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: December 2, 2001

GATES - Blanche Lee Walpole Thurmond, 97, homemaker, died of heart failure Friday at her home. Services will be at 2 p.m. today at Garner Funeral Home in Ripley with burial in Gates Cemetery. She was a member of Gates Methodist Church. Mrs. Thurmond, the widow of Peter Clyde Thurmond, leaves six daughters, Zona Childress, Crystal Jackson, Ruby Turner and Buton 'Polly' Jackson, all of Gates, Eva Doyle Jones of Memphis and Joyce Bentley of Bloomington, Ill.; a son, Sylvester 'Buddy' Thurmondof Gates, 12 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: September 24, 2000

DYERSBURG - Irvin Leon Tillman, 95, retired agent for Illinois Central Railroad, died Tuesday at Oakwood Manor. Services will be at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at Dyersburg Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. He was a member of Dyersburg First Baptist Church for more than 50 years, retired Red Coat volunteer for Methodist Healthcare, and a member of Hess Masonic Lodge 93 and Order of the Eastern Star. Mr. Tillman, the widower of Christine Tillman, leaves a daughter, Jane Garrard of Dyersburg; two sons, Robert Tillman of Jackson and Kenneth Tillman of Hartsville, 11 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren and nine great-great-grandchildren. The family requests that any memorials be sent to a charity of the donor's choice.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: March 3, 2004

RIPLEY - John Wesley Todd, 52, died Tuesday at Baptist Memorial Hospital- East in Memphis. Services will be at 2 p.m. today at Garner Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. Mr. Todd, the husband of Sylvia Moore Todd, also leaves a stepson, Barry Dean Meacham of Palm Bay, Fla., and three half- sisters, Beverly Miller and Patricia Beachtold, both of Alton, Ill., and Sue Bartholomew of Godfrey, Ill.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: January 14, 1993

John Rodney Travis, 89, of Memphis, vice president of William R. Moore Inc., died Wednesday at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at Gates (Tenn.) Cemetery. Memphis Funeral Home Poplar Chapel has charge. He was a World War II veteran. Mr. Travis, the widower of Rosedale Coffman Travis, leaves a daughter, Marcia Harmon of Millington; a sister, Constance Hughes of Ripley, Tenn., and two grandchildren. The family requests that memorials be sent to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: June 28, 2002

Rosedale Coffman Travis, 84, of Memphis, retired medical transcriptionist from Memphis Veterans Medical Center, died of lung disease Thursday at her home. Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday in Gates (Tenn.) Cemetery. Memphis Funeral Home Poplar Chapel has charge. She was a member of St. Luke's Methodist Church. Mrs. Travis, the wife of John R. Travis, also leaves a daughter, Marcia T. Harmon of Memphis, and two grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: April 13, 2001

GATES - Kathryn Robison Voss, 82, retired cook, died Friday at Methodist Healthcare-Dyersburg. Services will be at 2 p.m. today at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. She was a member of Gates United Methodist Church and Women's Christian Society, and she was a youth counselor, Sunday school teacher, church trustee, secretary and treasurer. Mrs. Voss, the wife of E. M. Voss Jr., also leaves two sons, Larry Voss and Edward Voss, both of Dyersburg; a brother, Barney A. Robison of Coffeeville, Tenn., and two grandchildren. The family requests that memorials be sent to Gates Methodist Church.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: May 25, 2002

HALLS - Jackie Mahon Walker, 63, retired owner of a cafe, bait shop and sporting goods store, died Wednesday of renal failure at Baptist Memorial Hospital East in Memphis. Services will be at 11 a.m. today at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. He was a Korean War veteran. Mr. Walker, the widower of Lewanna Burroughs Walker, leaves a son, Jackie Owen Walker of Gates; a sister, Cherry Thompson of Memphis, and two grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: May 12, 1995

RIPLEY - Ben H. Walpole, 79, retired service station attendant, died Sunday at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Lauderdale. Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Garner Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. He was a World War II Army Air Corps veteran and a member of Lightfoot United Methodist Church. Walpole, the husband of Katherine Akins Walpole, also leaves a stepdaughter, Mrs. Peggy Criner of Ripley; a stepson, Akin Barnes of Halls; two sisters, Mrs. Blanche Thurmond of Gates and Mrs. Frankie Paige of Halls, five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: November 25, 1991

LEXINGTON - John Robert 'Jack' Wardlow, 87, former owner of J & J Auto Parts, died of cancer Friday at his home. Services will be at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at Broad Street Church of Christ with burial in Gates Cemetery in Gates, TN. Reed's Chapel in Lexington has charge. Mr. Wardlow, the husband of Ola Mae Wardlow, also leaves two daughters, Sue White of Stillwater, Okla., and Joy Evans of Lexington; and two sons, Leon Wardlow of Memphis and Jerry Wardlow of Lexington.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: November 17, 2001

Services for Mrs. Ola Mae Wardlow, 88, will be at 3:00 PM, Thursday, September 1, 2005 at Reed's Chapel in Lexington. Burial will follow in Gates Cemetery. Mrs. Wardlow died Tuesday, August 30, 2005 in Clarksville, Tennessee. She was preceded in death by her husband, Jack Wardlow and a daughter, Alice Jean Wardlow.
Surviving are two sons, Leon Wardlow of Memphis and Jerry Wardlow of Lexington; two daughters, Sue White of Stillwater, OK and Joy Evans of Lexington; two sisters, Eula Williams of Parsons and Leona Maclin of Memphis; thirteen grandchildren; nineteen great-grandchildren and eight great-great grandchildren.
Reed's Chapel 731-968-3643
Jackson Sun, The (TN)
Date: September 1, 2005

RIPLEY - Norma Jean Waterson, 57, homemaker and former manager of Fred's Dollar Store, died Saturday at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis. Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. She leaves a daughter, Donna Stewart of Memphis; a son, Marty King of Cordova; two stepdaughters, Tammy Vaughn of Ripley and Angelia Waterson of Texas; a sister, Judy Anderson of Ripley; a brother, Bill Dunaway of Memphis, and 10 grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: January 7, 2003

Wells, Infant Son
FORKED DEER***An infant son of Mr.& Mrs. L. F. WELLS died Thursday November 1st and was buried the following day in Gates Cemetery. LAUDERDALE COUNTY ENTERPRISE, RIPLEY, TN, NOVEMBER 9th,1923

Willard David Wells
GATES - David Wells, 76, retired farmer, died Thursday at Methodist Hospital of Dyersburg after a long illness. Services will be at 10 a.m. today at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. He was a member of Eureka United Methodist Church in Forked Deer and Halls Masonic Lodge No. 564. Mr. Wells, the widower of Virginia Escue Wells, leaves a brother, William F. Wells of Halls.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: August 22, 1992

GATES - Mrs. Virginia Ann Wells, 73, died Thursday at Haywood Park Methodist Hospital in Brownsville after a long illness. Services will be at 3 p.m. today at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. She was a member of Eureka Methodist Church. Mrs. Wells, the wife of David Wells, also leaves a sister, Mrs. Bessie Lee Nelson of Cherry Point, N.C., and three brothers, Buford Escue of Memphis, Bernice Escue of Covington and Pharis Escue of Gates.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: May 11, 1991

COVINGTON - William Ferguson Wells, 81, formerly of Gates, retired cotton ginner, riverboat cook, cafe owner and salesman, died of cancer Monday at his home. Services will be at 4 p.m. today at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. He was past master of Hallow Masonic Lodge 564 and a member of Gates United Methodist Church. Mr. Wells leaves four daughters, Claire Norman and Billie Smith, both of Covington, Amy Wells of Springfield, Mo., and Resa Harkness of Munford; two sons, Tim Wells of Arp and Kevin Wells of Quito, 14 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: August 15, 1995

Covington - Carl Allison Whitaker, 84, retired radio controller for the Navy and retired from the federal government, died Thursday at his home. Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Maley-Yarbrough Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. He was a 32nd degree Mason and a member of Gates Church of Christ. Mr. Whitaker, the husband of Jane Hudson Whitaker, also leaves two daughters, Karen W. Harris of Memphis and Elizabeth W. Newman of Covington; two sons, Carl A. Whitaker Jr. of Beaver Dam, Va., and Richard H. Whitaker of Selmer, 10 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. The family requests that any memorials be sent to the American Cancer Society.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: January 21, 2005

HALLS - Opal Lorene White, 84, homemaker, died Monday at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Lauderdale in Ripley. Services will be at 11 a.m. today at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery. She was a member of Halls First United Methodist Church. Mrs. White, the widow of George White, leaves three daughters, Kathy Sills of Halls, Veta Escue of Fairview and Lou Gooch of Memphis; two sons, Terry E. White of Halls and James Baker of Olive Branch, Miss.; two sisters, Rena Wheatley of Ripley and Jeanette Dunaway of Memphis; a brother, Charles L. Baker of Dyersburg, 11 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: January 16, 2002

HALLS - Evan Blankenship 'Blank' Williams, 77, retired lieutenant with the Tennessee Department of Safety, died of heart failure Saturday at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis. Services will be at 2 p.m. today at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates Cemetery in Gates. He was a Mason and a member of the Scottish Rite, the American Legion and Halls First Baptist Church. Mr. Williams, the husband of Virginia Beard Williams, also leaves a daughter, Patty Hogue of Halls, two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: July 27, 1998

HALLS - Joseph 'Perry' Williams, 85, retired home builder, died of heart failure Thursday at his home. Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Halls Funeral Home with burial in Gates (Tenn.) Cemetery. He was a member of Halls First Baptist Church and served as an alderman for Halls. Mr. Williams, the husband of Violet Neely Williams, also leaves a daughter, Perrylyn Cherry of Ripley; a sister, Virginia Conrad of Jackson; a brother, Roy H. Williams Jr. of Gates, two grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: April 30, 1999

Roy Hadon Williams, Sr., 78, former Mayor of Gates for several terms. died Monday in his home in Forked Deer. Services were Wednesday in Eureka Methodist Church, burial in Gates Cemetery. Born at Curve, he was a retired farmer. He leaves his wife, Bertha Orndorff WILLIAMS; sons, R. H. WILLIAMS, Jr. of Gates and Perry WILLIAMS, of Halls; daughter, Mrs. Virginia CONRAD, of Paducah, Ky.; brother, Evans WILLIAMS, of Gates; and sisters, Mrs. Annie ROBERTSON, of Halls, Mrs. Eugenia ABERNATHY and Mrs. Lucille GIGSBEY, both of Memphis Lauderdale County Enterprise
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 6, 1968

MARTIN - Essie Pickard Wood, 92, of Martin, formerly of Gates, homemaker, died of heart failure Sunday at Martin Healthcare. Services will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Garner Funeral Home in Ripley with burial in Gates Cemetery. She was a member of Gates Methodist Church. Mrs. Wood, the widow of Estol Wood, leaves two daughters, Peggy W. Truitt of Martin and Martha W. Kizer of Apopka, Fla., five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN)
Date: November 24, 1998

Louis Estol Wood, 81, a retired farmer, died at 8:30 a.m., Monday, July 4, 1983 at Parkview Hospital in Dyersburg. Funeral services were at 4:00 p.m., July 6th at Garner Funeral Home with interment at Gates Cemetery. Mr. Wood leaves his wife, Mrs. Esie Pickard Wood; one son, Jack Wood of Decatuer, Alabama; two daughters, Peggy Truitt of Martin, Martha Kaizer of Apopka, Florida; one sister, Cheslia Bain of Newbern, and five grandchildren.
Death date July 4, 1983

Christian Samuel York CURVE--Funeral Services were conducted at the Baptist Church Sunday morning at 10 o'clock for Mr. C. S. YORT, who died in a Memphis hospital hospital. Mr. YORT was a native of Denmark, came to this country when quiet a young man and for the past 25 years in Lauderdale County. He was 72 years old and seemed remarkably well until six months ago, when his health began to fail, and the last month of his life was spent in the hospital. He leaves his wife, Mrs. Alice Tilman YORT; two sons, Chester and Clifford, both of Halls, and one grandchild, Montre Jean YORT. Burial in Gates Cemetery.
Lauderdale County Enterprise, Friday April 8, 1932