Cleveland and Athens, TN Obituaries

Jan 17, 2023

Elder Ovit G. Pursley, Sr. departed this life peacefully at home in Knoxville, Tennessee on Tuesday January 17, 2023 after a long illness. At the time of his passing, Elder Pursley was enjoying his retirement and served as an Associate Minister at Tabernacle Baptist Church in Knoxville.

Ovit Glenn Pursley was born on November 20, 1940 in...

Jan 16, 2023

Tommy Lee Simpson age 62 a resident of Cleveland passed Monday January 16, 2023 in a Cleveland, TN hospital. Tommy was born and raised in Athens, TN where he attended McMinn County High School and graduated class of 1978 , and received his associate degree from Cleveland State Community College. He was employed for 36 years at Bowaters where he...

Jan 9, 2023

Lucian James William Martin, age 64, went to be with the Lord on Monday, January 9, 2023. Lucian was born on February 20, 1958 to the late Roberta and Raymond Martin Sr. He is preceded in death by his grandparents, Ella Mae and West Davis, and Lassie and Lucian Martin, his brothers Raymond C. Martin Jr. and Wendell Gaines, his...

Jan 4, 2023

Shirley A. Blair “Little Shirley” age 63 passed January 4, 2023.  She attended Cleveland High School. Shirley had a heart of gold and loved her family and community. She would spend time taking care of the elderly and volunteering at Crosspointe Church. She was basically the neighborhood maintenance keeper, working at M.D. Dotson and Sons Funeral Home, Fellowship of...

Jan 2, 2023

Carl J. Davis 'Junior' age 65 passed Monday, January 2, 2023 at his home in Athens, TN surrounded by his family. He was a retired maintenance worker from McMinn County Courthouse. and attend J.L Cook School and Calhoun High School. He also attended Church of Jesus Christ in Athens, TN. He is preceded in death by his mother, Mary Catherine...

Dec 27, 2022

Thomas Leroy Olley Jr. “Tommy” age 40 passed Monday, December 26, 2022 in a Sweetwater, TN hospital. He was born in San Francisco, CA but spent a great deal of his life in Brighton, TN and Tellico Plains, TN graduating from Tellico Plains High School class of 2000. Tommy was a first baseman, and member of the baseball...

Dec 19, 2022

Juanita Jackson , 95, of Etowah, Tennessee went home to be with the Lord on Monday, December 19, 2022.  She died peacefully at home surrounded by her loving family. She was preceded in death by her parents, Joe and Louella Cobb, husband, Raymond Jackson, Sr., brother, Walter Cobb, sisters, Nora Lee Williams and Daisy Cobb and son, Raymond...

Dec 11, 2022

Jessie Carolyn Mackey age 80 passed Sunday December 11, 2022 at a health care facility in Nashville, TN. She was a former resident of Etowah, TN and worked many years in the hotel industry as a general maintenance worker. Carolyn loved music and being with her family.

She is preceded in death by...

Dec 11, 2022

Lonnie Jones Jr. peacefully passed on to be with the Lord on December 11, 2022. Mr. Jones was born on June 28 th , 1946 in Chattanooga, TN to Mr. Lonnie Chuck Jones and Mrs. Eunice Knox Jones. He was lovingly married to Judy Thompson Jones, his loving wife and best friend for over 53 years.

Dec 10, 2022

Kenneth Wade Hammonds was born to George and Henrietta Hammonds on March 17, 1938. He was the third of seven children. He grew up in Charleston, TN, and served in the U.S. Air Force. He was married to Bertie L. Moss in 1957. Four sons were born to them. Michael L. Hammonds, Kenneth S. Hammonds, Gerald J....

Dec 7, 2022

Alvina Tinishia Brown age  42 of Athens, TN died December , 2022 in a local hospital. She was a graduate of Mc M inn High School, and attended M ount Pleasant Baptist Church.

She is preceded in death by her father Charles Alvin Davis, her grandmother Warnell Davis and special grandmother Pearly Smith...

Dec 5, 2022

Pearly Mae Smith age 89 of Athens, TN passed Monday morning December 5, 2022 in a local Etowah, TN hospital. She was baptized  by Rev. Thomas Ratledge in Loudon County, TN and attended and was a member of Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church in Athens, TN where she served on the usher board. Pearly loved music,...

Dec 4, 2022

Karen Yvonne  Asbury age 66 of Sweetwater, TN passed Sunday, December 4, 2022 in a Sweetwater , TN hospital.

She was raised in the Christian fellowship of 1 st Church United in Sweetwater, TN. Although she insisted on her own independence she spend a great deal of time under the watchful eye of her late sister Monica...

Nov 26, 2022

Jubreel A. Versa , age 48, of Nashville, TN , passed away on Saturday, November 26, 2022. He was born to Gloria Versa & the late Robert Lawrence Versa Jr. of Cleveland, TN.

Jubreel was a 1993 graduate of McMinn Co High School and a graduate of Bethel University in McKenzie, TN where...

Nov 12, 2022

Donald Edward Goldston age 83 of Charleston, TN died November 12, 2022 at Life Care Center of Cleveland, TN. He had lived for a period of time in Chattanooga, but later retired in Charleston, TN.

Upon completing high school at College Hill in Cleveland, TN.,  Donald served his country in the...

Nov 7, 2022

James H. (Sonny) Oggs , aged 78, of Spring City, Tennessee, passed away on Monday, November 7, at CHI Memorial Hospital.He was born in Sweetwater TN on March 5, 1944 to the late Thelma Olivia Oggs and Ivon Lenoir.

Sonny lived most of his life in Spring City and was a 1961 graduate of High...

Nov 5, 2022

Bettye Lou  Porter , age 88 went home to be with the Lord  Saturday morning November 5, 2022 at a local Athens, TN health care facility. A lifelong resident of McMinn County TN. She was a lifelong member of Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church in Athens, TN, where she was the church pianist until her health prevented her...

Nov 3, 2022

Glenn Edward Johnson age 61 passed away Thursday, November 3, 2022 at his home in Athens, TN. He was a graduate of McMinn High School and served in the Army National guard briefly. He was of the Methodist faith and had attended Mt. Olive A.M.E. Church in Etowah, TN. He was a long time employee of...

Oct 25, 2022

Evelyn Spriggs Davis, age 88, a lifelong resident of Bradley County Tennessee passed away Tuesday, October 25, 2022 at Tennova hospital in Cleveland, TN surrounded by her family. She was raised in Philadelphia, Pa then moved back to Cleveland where she married Edwin ‘Buck’ Davis.  She was employed at Bendix for over 20 years and then...

Oct 25, 2022

Malcolm Ray Davis, age 62, transitioned this life at his residence in Athens, TN.  He was the son of the late Thomas Sr. and Mary Frances Walker Davis.  He is preceded in death by brothers, William Walker and Thomas Davis, Jr., nephew, P. J. Gardner.

Malcolm Enjoyed life starting with his early years as a farmer, to...