Gladys Miller Stewart
Died: 04-11-2001 Gladys Miller Stewart, 92, of Ellijay, Ga., died Wednesday, April 11, 2001. Survivors include three sisters, Amy Adair of Covington, Ga., Myrtle Mitchell of Washington State and Lora Ray of Buford, Ga.; two brothers, Homer Miller of Ringgold, Ga., and Otis Miller of Independence, Mo.; two grandsons, Bill Chouinard of Athens and Marty Chouinard of Ellijay, Ga.; six great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild. Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Friday at Rock Creek Baptist Church with the Rev. Cleve Underwood and the Rev. John Newton officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Bernhardt Funeral Home. Bernhardt Funeral Home of Ellijay, Ga., is in charge of arrangements.

Elbert T. Williams
Died: 04-10-2001 Elbert T. Williams, 84, of Niota, died Tuesday, April 10, 2001, at Athens Regional Medical Center. A native of Monroe County and resident of McMinn County for most of his life, he was retired from Alcoa Aluminum Company and was a member of the Alcoa 25 Year club. He was a former member of the Oak Ridge Police Horse Mounted Patrol, Oak Ridge Police Department and was a former prescient chairman of the Democratic Party. A son of the late Taylor and Minnie Millsaps Williams, he was preceded in death by an infant son, Joe Bowden Williams; and one brother, Grover Williams. He was a member of East Niota Baptist Church. Survivors include his wife, Mary Deakin Williams of Niota; two daughters and sons-in-law, Betty and William Bryant of Athens and Ann and Darrell Patterson of Chattanooga; three sisters, Dona Burns of Lenoir City, Hazel Pressley and Audrey Ratledge, both of Athens; one brother, Burkett Williams of Athens; three grandchildren and spouses, Diana and Richard Hunter of Lawrenceburg, Ga., Ramona and Anthony Saffels of Englewood and Jeff Bryant of Lewisville, Texas; one great-grandchild, Drew Saffels; and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Thursday in the chapel of Laycock-Hobbs Funeral Home with the Rev. Oran Creasman officiating. Burial will follow in McMinn Memory Gardens. Pallbearers will be Freddie Miller, Ronnie Pressley, Bo Deakin, Dennis McPhail, Benji Wilson, Dean Ratledge and Todd Baines. Honorary pallbearers will be Bob Kirkland, Hubert Millsaps, Benny Deakin, John Baines and Vaughn Millsaps. The family received friends Wednesday from 6 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home. Laycock-Hobbs Funeral Home of Athens is in charge of arrangements.

Garry Lee Knox
Died: 04-10-2001 Garry Lee Knox, 42, of Niota, died Tuesday, April 10, 2001, at Sweetwater Hospital. A native and lifelong resident of McMinn County, he was of the Baptist faith and was an employee of Levon’s Logging Company. He was preceded in death by one sister, Lecia Gayle Knox. Survivors include his wife, Lori Aikman Knox of Niota; two sons, Joshua Ryan and Jarred Blake Knox, both of Niota; one daughter, Shaynelle Roberts of Niota; his mother, Shelby Thompson Knox of Niota; his father and stepmother, Ray and Cathy Knox of Niota; one brother and sister-in-law, Larry Ray and Karen Knox of Sweetwater; a special aunt and uncle, Carl and Earlene McKheean of Athens; and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be 1 p.m. Friday in the chapel of Laycock-Hobbs Funeral Home with the Rev. Donnie Dalton officiating. Burial will be in Rocky Springs Cemetery. Pallbearers will be James Hennessee, Clyde Nunley, Jody Aikens, Tommy Bohannon, Terry Hayes, Tony Jackson and Jeff Hayes. The family will receive friends from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Fund for Children, c/o J&J Farms, Citizens National Bank, P.O. Box 220, Athens, TN 37371-0220. Laycock-Hobbs Funeral Home of Athens is in charge of arrangements.

Marvin C. Crittenden
Died: 04-09-2001 Marvin C. Crittenden, 82, of the Goodsprings community near Etowah, died Monday, April 9, 2001, at Woods Memorial Hospital. A native and lifelong resident of McMinn County, he was a member of the Etowah Church of Christ, a lifetime member of the American Legion and was retired from the State of Tennessee. He was preceded in death by his parents, Clifford and Virgie Walker Crittenden. Survivors include his wife, Velma Hughes Crittenden of Etowah; one daughter, Shirley Bourn of Chattanooga; one granddaughter and spouse, Tina and Dewayne Edmondson; two great-grandchildren, Lindsay and Brandon Edmondson; one sister and brother-in-law, Geneva and Warren Davis of Etowah; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Franklin “Fed” Dewayne Crittenden of Cleveland, Austin and Sheila Hughes of Lancaster, Calif., and Pauline Parris of San Antonio, Texas; and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be 8:30 p.m. Wednesday in the south chapel of Bordwine Funeral Home with Minister Clifton Fox and Dr. Jack Burns officiating. Burial will be 10 a.m. Thursday in Goodsprings Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Dewey Starkey, Dewayne Edmondson, Marvin Torbett, Chester Perian, Earl Buckner and Carson Gay. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday prior to the services at the funeral home. Bordwine Funeral Home of Etowah is in charge of arrangements.

Katherine Helen England Thompson
Died: 04-09-2001 Katherine Helen England Thompson, 74, of Etowah, passed away Monday, April 9, 2001, in Hermitage. A former resident of Etowah and longtime resident of Decatur, she was a retired seamstress of Decatur Industries. A daughter of the late William Anderson and Sarah Riggs England, she was preceded in death by her husband, Samuel James Thompson; one son, James “Ronnie” Thompson; and a granddaughter, Sarah Beth Rogers. She was a member of Five Point Baptist Church. Survivors include two daughters and sons-in-law, Karen Danese and Mike Frost of Etowah, and Cynthia Ruth and Stephen F. Briggs of Etowah; one son and daughter-in-law, Benny and Susan Thompson of Gallatin; 10 grandchildren, Hope Hamilton, Sharon Garcia, Deborah Thompson, Jennifer Thompson, Shawn Thompson, Michael Thompson, Sabrina Layman, Brandon Frost, Courtney Frost, and Amber Murphy; 14 great-grandchildren; two sisters, Betty McClain of Mt. Holly, N.C., and Jean Boles of Rockwood; and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be 8 p.m. Thursday in the chapel of Ziegler Funeral Home with the Rev. Ralph Swafford and the Rev. George Dunbar officiating. Burial will be in Mountain View Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday prior to the service at the funeral home. Ziegler Funeral Home of Athens is in charge of arrangements.

Henry Hester
Died: 04-09-2001 Henry Hester, 77, of Cleveland, died Monday, April 9, 2001, due to injuries sustained in an automobile accident. He was retired from Magic Chef after 22 years of service and was most recently employed at Calfee’s General Store for 12 years. He was preceded in death by his wife, Frances McClure Hester, and was of the Baptist faith. Survivors include three daughters, Phyllis Rich of Cleveland, Eloise Hester Tutton of Ringgold, Ga., and Delores Ross of Benton; five grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; several stepgreat-grandchildren; two brothers, Ralph and Richard Hester, both of Athens; two sisters, Betty Jo Stone of Benton and Bess Park of Tampa, Fla.; and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Thursday at the Wildwood Chapel of Buckner-Rush Funeral Home with the Rev. Randell Headrick officiating. Burial will be in Boanerges Baptist Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Buckner-Rush Funeral Home of Cleveland is in charge of arrangements.

Harold O. Gordon
Died: 04-08-2001 Harold O. Gordon, 67, passed away Sunday, April 8, 2001, at the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville. A native and life-long resident of McMinn County, he was a son of Mellie Rucker Gordon and the late Lee Gordon. He was a veteran of the United States Army and served in the Korean War and was of the Baptist faith. He was preceded in death by his father, Lee Gordon and one sister, Evelyn Gordon. Survivors include his wife, Mary Ann Coulter Gordon of Etowah; two sons, Gary Gordon and Richard Lee Gordon, both of Etowah; two daughters and one son-in-law, Angela Renee Norwood of Athens and Marlene and Rick Osborn of Etowah; mother, Mellie Gordon of Etowah; four grandchildren, Elizabeth Jones, Danielle Gordon, Brittany Hall, and Casey Osborn; two sisters and two brothers-in-law, Shirley and J.L. Gentry of Etowah and Carolyn and Glyn Pratt of Sweetwater; and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be 8 p.m. Tuesday in the south chapel of Bordwine Funeral Home with the Rev. Sonny Triplett officiating. Burial will be 11 a.m. Wednesday in the Conasauga Cemetery. The family will receive friends Tuesday from 6 - 8 p.m. at the funeral home. Bordwine Funeral Home of Etowah is in charge of arrangements.