Obituaries — March 9 issue
RONALD COOPER
Ronald Glenn Cooper, Sr., 72, of Lookout Valley, Tenn., passed away Monday, Feb. 28, 2022.
Mr. Cooper was a native and lifelong resident of the Chattanooga, Tenn., area and was a veteran of the U.S. Army where he was the recipient of many commendations, including the Bronze Star medal. He was a member of Masonic Lodge #673 F&AM, a graduate of Edmonson School of Business, and was retired from Walter A. Wood Supply as a tool technician.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert Cooper and Clovilla Griffin Lee; son, David Allen Cooper; brothers, Robert and Gary Cooper; sister, Judy Walker.
Survivors include wife of 53 years, Mildred Cooper; sons, Glenn, Steven (Laura), and Matt Cooper; aunt, Sharon Culpepper; nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were Thursday, March 3 in the funeral home chapel. Interment with full military honors was at Forest Hills Cemetery in Chattanooga.
Expressions of sympathy may be shared at ryanfuneralhome.net.
Arrangements by Ryan Funeral Home and Crematory, Trenton.
BETH DICKERSON
Beth Allison Dickerson, 46, of Valley Head, Ala., passed away Wednesday, March 2, 2022, after an extended illness.
Beth was a loving mother, daughter, and friend.
She is preceded in death by her father, Randall Dickerson.
Left to cherish her memory are her son, Josh Dickerson; mother, Sheryl Dickerson; aunts, uncles and cousins.
The family wishes to thank best friends Prissy Leamon Gray and Lauryn Melton for their love and kindness shown over the years.
Funeral services were Sunday, March 6 in the Trenton chapel of Moore Funeral Home with Brother Randy Tinker officiating. Interment was at Lake Hills Memorial Gardens.
Visit www.MooreFHS.com to share expressions of sympathy and view her memorial tribute.
Arrangements by Moore Funeral Home, Trenton.
ED MARTIN
Ed Martin, 81, of Avon, Ind., passed away Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022.
He was born in Gainesville but lived in Griffin, Macon, and Atlanta before moving to Indianapolis in 1976. He graduated from Lanier Senior High School for Boys with Honors, from Georgia Tech with a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering degree and from Indiana University with an Executive Master of Business Administration degree. He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army of the United States and served three years from 1962-1965 in Germany. Upon returning home, he joined Southern Engineering Company of Georgia in Atlanta. For 11 years he performed engineering and business services for Rural Electric Cooperatives. In 1976, he became CEO of the Wabash Valley Power Association, a generation and transmission cooperative in northern Indiana. He served as CEO for the next 30 years, and grew the company to provide service in four Midwest states to rural electric membership corporations. Ed was a graduate and in the Presidents Club of the American Management Association. He served as chairman of various committees with the National G&T Managers Association. Ed was a founder and first CEO of ACES (Alliance for Cooperative Energy Services) that provides wholesale electric and gas marketing services nationwide. Through the training arm of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) he presented management speeches and comments to many national rural electric meetings. He managed Wabash Valley through its rationalization of its investment in the defunct Marble Hill Nuclear Plant. At the end of over fifteen years of litigation and extensive negotiations, Wabash Valley became a vibrant financially sound company divorced from the Rural Utilities Services component of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Upon retirement in 2005, he joined RW Beck, Inc., as an executive consultant for three years.
A lifelong member of the Methodist Church, he was a member of Avon United Methodist for the past 22 years where he served on numerous church committees and led the church’s financial effort to becoming a sustainable church of service. He served on the Board of Directors of the Fletcher Place Community Center located on the Southside of Indianapolis and on the Board of Metro Ministries, a mission’s arm of the Central District of the United Methodist Church. He was a charter member of Zionsville, Ind., Rotary Club serving in the line of officer positions including president; was a board member of Leadership Hendricks County and a 2009 graduate of that organization’s teaching practices; he served as President of the Avon-Washington Township study committee on consolidation; was a member and President of both the Hendricks County Sheriff’s Merit Board and the Avon-Washington Township Civilian Fire Safety Board; and was a sustaining member of Newfields, the Indiana Historical Society, and the Economic Club of Indiana. He was a long standing Democrat, a member of the Indiana Democratic Party Gold Circle Club, served as Washington Precinct 3 Committeeman, ran for Washington Township Trustee and for the Township Board.
Ed was an Eagle Scout with palms; and played trumpet in concert, marching, jazz bands, and the symphony orchestra in Macon. He served in ROTC for 10 years. His interests included golf, reading, performances at Beef and Boards Theatre, world-wide traveling, and family visits across the United States.
Ed was preceded in death by parents, Jack Edward (Ferne Alicia Ellison) Martin, Lula.
Survivors include his wife, Charlotte Martin, Indianapolis, Ind.; son, Brian (Hyun) Martin, Gaithersburg, Md.; daughter, Laura McKay, Cary, N.C.; step-sons, Rev. Dr. K. Lynn (Wendy) Lewis, Jr., Sugar Land, Texas; and Wes (Lynn) Lewis, Columbus; nine grandchildren, Alex Dolby-Roark and Diana Roark, Cary, N.C.; Cameron and Sean Martin, Gaithersburg, Md.; Krista (Ryan) Hentz, Smyrna; Mark Lewis, Chattanooga, Tenn.; Scotty Lewis, Sugar Land, Texas; and Jacob and Joshua Lewis, Columbus; great-grandchildren, Bella and Hattie Hentz, Smyrna; sister, June LaRoque, Waycross; nephew, Richard (Mae) Eaves, San Antonio, Texas; niece, Guzel Eaves, Waycross; grand-nephews, Patrick (Vanessa) Eaves, Round Rock, Texas; Alex Eaves, Waycross; grand-nieces, Amanda Eaves, Atlanta; Tabi (Chris) Black, Valdosta; and Diana Eaves, Waycross.
Honorary pallbearers were members of the Wesleyan Sunday School Class, Leadership Hendricks County Class of 2009, Hendricks County Sheriff’s Merit Board, and Washington Township Fire Merit Board.
Funeral services were at Avon United Methodist Church in Avon, Ind., were Friday, March 4,
An additional service will be at Wallis-Wilbanks Funeral Home, 121 West Villanow Street, LaFayette, on Saturday, March 12 at 1 p.m., followed by interment at Mt. Carmel Cemetery, LaFayette.
Memorials contributions may be made to Avon United Methodist Church, Leadership Hendricks County, Hendricks County Democrat Party, or Georgia Tech.
Arrangements by Wilbanks Funeral Home, LaFayette.
KIMBERLY MCGILL
Kimberly Sue McGill, 61, of Trenton, passed away Monday, Feb. 28, 2022.
Kim was born on Feb. 1, 1961, in Trenton, to Willie and Hazel Christopher. Kim was a graduate of Northwest Georgia High School. On July 7, 1979, she married Rodney McGill and they raised one son, Aaron Christopher McGill. She was a loving wife, mother and nana. Kim loved the Lord and was an avid member and Sunday School teacher at Full Community Gospel Church in Whiteside, Tenn. She loved crafts, baking, shopping, big family dinners and beach trips. The light of her life was her grandchildren, Rory and Thor. Kim had a very special bond with her first grandbaby, her “buddy” Rory, was the best and brightest part of her world.
Kim was preceded in death by her parents.
She is survived by her husband Rodney; son, Aaron (Abrianna) McGill; grandchildren, Aurora and Author McGill; sisters, Debbie Rowe and Pam Reeves; cousins, nieces, and nephews.
Funeral services were Thursday, March 3, at Ryan’s Funeral Home with Dean Sims officiating. Burial was at Shantytown Cemetery on Sand Mountain.
Arrangements by Ryan Funeral Home and Crematory, Trenton.
RITA MITCHELL
Rita Jane Mitchell, 82, of Lookout Mountain, passed away Thursday, March 3, 2022.
She was a member of Lookout Mountain Missionary Baptist Church. Rita was a sweet, caring, and loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She had no limit to her patience and love.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Alton Mitchell; daughter Jill Hise; parents, Andrew and Versa Brown; three sisters and one brother.
Survivors include her daughters, Janie (Doyle) Holcomb; June (David) Smith; eight grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were Sunday, March 6 in the Trenton chapel of Moore Funeral Home with Brother Alvin Cummings officiating. Interment was at Mount Olive Cemetery.
Visit www.MooreFHS.com to share expressions of sympathy and view her memorial tribute.
Arrangements by Moore Funeral Home, Trenton.
RICKY SHARP
Ricky Roland Sharp, 60, of Lookout Mountain, passed away Friday, March 4, 2022.
Ricky was a native and lifelong resident of Lookout Mountain and was a 1979 graduate of Dade County High School. He was retired from Hutcheson Medical Center following 30 years of service and enjoyed deer hunting and the outdoors.
Ricky was preceded in death by his wife, Cathy Hawkins Sharp; and parents, James and Loretta Kenemore Sharp.
Survivors include his brothers, Randy Sharp of Chattanooga, Tenn., Royce (Jeanie) Sharp of Trenton, and Robert (April) Sharp of Hixson, Tenn.; special companion, Kymie Thomas of Chickamauga; five nieces and two nephews.
A celebration of life will be today, March 9 at 2 p.m., in the funeral home chapel with Rev. Ronnie Millican officiating.
The family will receive friends on Wednesday from noon until the service hour at Ryan Funeral Home.
Expressions of sympathy may be shared at ryanfuneralhome.net.
Arrangements by Ryan Funeral Home and Crematory, Trenton.
JERRY WATSON
Jerry “Bobcat” Wayne Watson, 68, of Bryant, Ala., passed away Wednesday, March 2, 2022.
Jerry was a wonderful father, very dependable and loyal friend. He enjoyed fishing, flea markets, yard work, piddling, and spending time with family.
In addition to his parents, Jerry was preceded in death by his sister, Lucille Rush; brother, George Watson; in-laws, Mary and Bo Rachels.
Survivors include his daughter, Jenny Harrell; granddaughter, Grace Harrell; sister, Evalena (Donald) Alderson; three brothers; extended family.
Funeral services were Saturday, March 5 in the Bryant chapel of Moore Funeral Home with Brother Steve Townson officiating.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Moore Funeral Home, P. O. Box 816, Trenton, GA 30752.
Visit www.MooreFHS.com to share expressions of sympathy and view his memorial tribute.
Arrangements by Moore Funeral Home, Bryant, Ala.