April 3 Obituaries

April 02, 2019

HUNTER BYRD WHITESELL

Hunter Byrd Whitesell, 89, died March 29, 2019, in Paducah, Ky. He was surrounded by his loving family and caring staff at Lourdes Hospital.

He was born January 20, 1930, at the home of his grandparents, in Union City, Tenn. An Eagle Scout in Troop 43, he graduated Fulton City High School in 1947, and Vanderbilt University in 1951. Whitesell was the third generation of his family to attend Vanderbilt and enjoyed watching his children competing on the football field and cross country course at Vanderbilt. As a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps, Whitesell saw combat in Korea during that conflict. He retired at the rank of Colonel from the Marine Corps Reserves in 1972. Following the war, he earned a Law Degree from the University of Kentucky in 1957. He was married August 16th that same year in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Whitesell spent several years in Frankfort, where he and Genie began their family. He began his career in Frankfort, first working as a law clerk for the Chief Justice of the Court of Appeals (now Supreme Court), then as an Assistant Attorney General, and finally as an Attorney for the Finance and Revenue Cabinets. In 1968, he returned to his hometown of Fulton and practiced law in Kentucky and Tennessee for forty years before retiring to the family farm.

Whitesell’s primary interests revolved around farming, gardening, and arrowhead hunting. He had a love for his family’s history and was devoted to preserving the family farmland. He was an avid reader of military history and, in his younger years, wrote a comprehensive history of the Civil War in the Jackson Purchase, which was published by the Kentucky Historical Society. Many of the roadside historical markers in the area which pertain to that conflict are attributable to his efforts. Whitesell loved trees and planted thousands of them. He developed a lifelong fondness for the open sea during his time in the Marine Corps. He was a faithful member of Fulton First United Methodist Church and taught Sunday School there in earlier years. He was an active member of Rotary International.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Hunter Whitesell and Bell Dougherty Whitesell, and one brother, Robert Dougherty Whitesell.

Whitesell is survived by Eugenia Baird Whitesell, his college sweetheart and wife of 62 years, as well as his three children, Hunter Byrd Whitesell II (Juliana Jill) of Fulton, Ky., John Bell Whitesell (Jacqueline) of Union City, Tenn., and Genie B. Whitesell, of Nashville, Tenn. He is also survived by one sister, Betsy Whitesell West, of Murray, Ky.

“Pa” is survived by four grandchildren: Benjamin Hunter Whitesell (Nicole), of Fulton, Ky., Elizabeth Whitesell Boston (Arthur), of Murray, Ky., Jack Hunter Whitesell and Jesse Walker Whitesell, of Union City, Tenn.

Great grandchildren who survive are William Henry Boston, Arthur George Boston, Annabel Byrd Boston, Lillian Rose Whitesell, Benjamin Hunter Whitesell II, and Amelia Nicole Whitesell. Whitesell is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews, including Robert M. Whitesell, of Fulton, Ky.

Graveside services will be held at 2:30 p.m. April 1 in the Palestine Cemetery with full military honors. There will be no visitation held at the funeral home and friends are asked to meet at the cemetery at the hour of service.

Memorials may be made to the Rotary International, Rotary Foundation: Fulton Rotary Club, Fulton, Ky., One Rotary Center, 1560 Sherman Ave, Evanston, Ill. 60201-3698.

ERTIE WELCH

Ertie Welch died March 27, 2019, at Maplewood Healthcare in Jackson, Tenn. She was 84.

Funeral services were held March 30 in the chapel of Replogle-Lawrence Funeral Home, in Medina, Tenn., with Rev. Mary Beth Bernheisel officiating. Burial followed in Hickman City Cemetery. Replogle-Lawrence Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

She is survived by her daughter, Sherrie Andrews and husband Eugene; granddaughter, Hailey Cook and husband Allen, Amanda Andrews, Joshua Andrews; and three great-grandchildren, Avery Cook, Summer Cronin, AJ Andrews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, William Amos Brown and Florence Grace Hulin Brown; and her husband, Thurman Ralph Welch on Sept. 30, 1997.

Born Nov. 21, 1934, in Fulton County, she was an active member of Medina First United Methodist Church.

Memorials may be sent to the National Kidney Foundation or Medina First United Methodist Church.

FREDERICK PIERSON

William Frederick Pierson III, a resident of Union City, Tenn., died March 31 at his residence. He was 80.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. April 3 at Edmaiston Mosley Funeral Home, in Union City, Tenn., with Bro. Ron Gray officiating. Burial will follow in Hickman City Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 11:00 a.m. until the hour of services April 3 at the funeral chapel. Pallbearers will be Brock McClanahan, Justin McClanahan, Caleb Fields, Shaw Logan, Reed Logan and Robert Simpson. Honorary pallbearer will be Roy Logan, Sr.

Edmaiston Mosley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

He is survived by his wife, Phyllis Elveida (Hughes) Pierson, who he married Aug. 3, 1968; three daughters, Krystal McClanahan (Don) of Fulton, Karla Fields (Tony) of Hickman, and Melissa Logan (Roy) of the Clayton community; one brother, John Allen Pierson (Leslie) of Vero Beach, Fla.; nine grandchildren, Brock McClanahan, Justin McClanahan (Mindy), Kasie McClanahan, Kodie Fikter (Jason), Caleb Fields, Shaw Logan, Anna Logan and Reed Logan; six great grandchilden; and one great great grandson.

He was preceded in death by his parents, John Henry and Gynelle (Vaughn) Pierson; and one son, Kevin Darnall “Rug” Pierson.

Born July 12, 1938, in Hickman, he was the owner and operator of the former Pierson Auto Parts in Hickman and served on the Obion Creek Watershed board and the Hickman - Fulton County Riverport Authority. He was a member of First Church of God in Union City.

BESSIE MAI SANDERS

Bessie Mai Sanders, a resident of Fulton and formerly of Hickman, died April 1 at the Jackson Purchase Medical Center in Mayfield. He was 86.

Funeral services will be held at 2:30 p.m. April 3 at Strong Funeral Home, in Hickman, with Rev. Carl Mills officiating. Visitation will be held at Strong Funeral Home from 1 p.m. until the time of service. Burial will follow in the Hickman City Cemetery. Nephews and friends will serve as pallbearers. Strong Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

She is survived by her brother, Franklin (Sara) Buckelew, of Harrisburg, Ark.; a sister-in-law, Katie Buckelew, of Fulton; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Cleve Buckelew and Bessie (Walter) Buckelew; her husband, Ruben Sanders; five brothers; and three sisters.
Born July 19, 1932 Phillippy, Tenn., she was a homemaker and a member of the First Baptist Church in Hickman.

JOE WAYNE BRUNDIGE

Joe Wayne Brundige, a resident of South Fulton, died March 26 at the Baptist Memorial Hospital in Union City, Tenn. He was 79.

A graveside service was held March 28 at the Obion Co. Memorial Gardens, in Union City, Tenn., with Dr. Ron Cox officiating. Hornbeak Funeral Chapel, of Fulton, was in charge of arrangements.

He is survived by his wife, Jo A. Caldwell Brundige, of South Fulton; a son, Terry A. Brundige (Marguaretta), of Gadsden, Ala.; three grandchildren, Kelli Jo Cox, of South Fulton, Courtney Janette Brundige, of Rennes, France, and Taylor James Brundige, of Gleason, Tenn.; four great-grandchildren, Brie, Ayden and Cooper Cox, and Rose Beaugendre; a sister, Shelby Denison (James), of Lexington, Tenn.; and a brother, Woody Brundige (Faye), of South Fulton.

He was preceded in death by a son, James Alan Brundige; his parents, Woodrow W. and Allie B. Burpo Brundige; a sister, Shirley Philbrick; and a brother, Jerry Dean Brundige.

Born Oct. 19, 1939, he was a member of the South Fulton Baptist Church and was a co-owner of the former Brundige Sausage Company in Fulton.

He had retired from Save-A-Lot, where he worked as a butcher and was also a member of the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders Association.

He served in the Army National Guard and had lived in this area most of his life.

Memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association, 2451 Crystal Dr., Suite 900, Arlington, Va. 22202.

Tributes may be left online at www.hornbeakfuneralchapel.com/

TIM LEE ALDRIDGE

Tim Lee Aldridge, age 65, died at his residence in Fulton, Ky. on Wednesday, March 20, 2019.

Tim was born in Fairbanks, Alaska on August 18, 1953 to James Heath Aldridge and Janet Lee Fuerst Aldridge. He worked his entire career in phone installation and repair, most recently in Martin, Tennessee for Frontier Telephone Company. He was a member of First Baptist Church in Clinton and loved to fish and hunt.

Tim is survived by his wife of 44 years, Cindy Clark Aldridge of Fulton; his son, Eric Aldridge and wife, Kelley of Clinton; his sister, DeeAnn Aldridge of Clinton; and two grandchildren, Camden and Kylee Aldridge.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Memorial services was held at Milner & Orr Funeral Home & Cremation Services of Arlington on Saturday, March 23, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. with Rev. Gleen Rushing officiating. Visitation began on Saturday at 9:00 a.m. at the funeral home.

You can go online to light a candle or leave a message for the family at www.milnerandorr.com/