Odell Watson
Retired Pleasant Shade General Store owner, Mr. Odell Watson, age 90, died at 9:41 Sunday evening, February 2, 2003, at Sumner Regional Medical Center in Gallatin. Services were conducted by Eld. Terry Austin and Eld. Eddie Gregory on Wednesday, February 5, from the Carthage Chapel of Sanderson Funeral Home at 1:00 p.m. Burial was in the Will Gregory Cemetery at Sycamore Valley. One of five children of the late James Frank and Nancy Rebecca Dickerson Watson, he was born in Pleasant Shade on October 5, 1912. Mr. Watson was married in Scottsville, Kentucky on January 14, 1933, to the former Edna Roberts who preceded him in death on February 3, 1995. Mr. Watson was preceded in death by two grandchildren, Gary Bryan Duke and Pamela Kaye Thomas; by a sister, Anna Lee Smith, and a brother, Doyle Watson. In addition to being a retired merchant and farmer of Pleasant Shade, Mr. Watson drove a Smith County school bus for thirty years. He had been a faithful member of the Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church for over sixty years. He was a member of the Carthage Benevolent Lodge #14 F & AM which conducted Masonic Chapel services on Tuesday, February 4, at 7:00 p.m. from the Carthage chapel. He was also a member of the Al Menah Shrine. Surviving are three children, Ruby Thomas of Willette, Joyce Duke and husband, Kay W. of Riddleton, Jimmy Watson and wife, Linda, of Tanglewood; sister, Mamie Gregory of Lafayette; brother, former Smith County Sheriff Loman Watson; seven grandchildren, Kathy Haynes of Gallatin, Jimmy Dell Watson of Chestnut Mound, Jeff Thomas of Lafayette, Marcella Rittenberry, Hugh Thomas of Lancaster, Mark Duke of Gallatin, Carla Vining of Hermitage; thirteen great-grandchildren. Sanderson Funeral Home of Carthage, directors.

Clifton Nixon
Longtime Smith County Commissioner and Defeated Creek community farmer, Mr. Clifton Nixon, died at the age of 84 at 1:15 Sunday morning, February 2, 2003, at Smith County Health Care Center of complications from a stroke. Mr. Nixon had been a resident of the health care center since December 4, 2002. A celebration of Mr. Nixon's life was held on Tuesday morning, February 4, at 11:00 from the Carthage Chapel of Sanderson Funeral Home by Eld. Jay Wilburn and Bro. Jackie Dillehay. Burial was in the Defeated Creek Memorial Gardens with Eld. Floyd Ferguson officiating. Mr. Nixon was born in the head of the Nixon Hollow on August 3, 1918. He lived there his entire life. He was the youngest and last to die of twelve children of the late Joseph Albert and Sallie Jane Hackett Nixon. One sibling died as an infant and the other ten to precede him in death were Clara Wakefield, Ruth Sloan, Elsie Gregory, Melvin, Raymond, Ottie, Edgar, Johnny, Willie and Lester Nixon. On October 15, 1938 he was married to the former Lillie Velma Robinson of Defeated Creek. Mr. Nixon represented district two on the Smith County Commission from 1972 until not seeking re-election in August of 1990. When he was sworn into office in October of 1972, by then County Judge T.E. Hackett, he and his son, Kenneth, were the first father and son to ever serve on the court together. Kenneth represented the South Carthage District. Mr. Nixon was also a partner in the Carthage Tobacco Warehouse and was a member of the Cornwells Chapel Missionary Baptist Church at Defeated Creek. Mr. Nixon was preceded in death by a grandson, Scotty Ray Nixon, on April 12, 1991 and by a step-great-grandson, Cole Ferguson, on August 12, 2002. Surviving, in addition to his wife of sixty-four years, are three children, Ray Nixon and wife, Shirley, of Lebanon, Kenneth "Buck" Nixon and wife, Linda, of South Carthage, Patricia "Pert" Underwood and husband, Ralph, of Jenkins Hill community; six grandchildren, Ethan Underwood of Jenkins Hill, Marianne Bell of Lebanon, Renee Wix of Lafayette, Mike Nixon of South Carthage, Stacy Ferguson of Benton, Arkansas, Joey Nixon of South Carthage; three step-granddaughters, Kim Davis, Teresa Lago, Tammy Brown, all of Lebanon; nine great-grandchildren, six step-great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. The family has requested memorials be made to the Smith County Middle School where his daughter, Mrs. Patricia Underwood, is assistant principal. Sanderson Funeral Home of Carthage, directors.

Frank Hire
One of Smith County's better know businessmen, Frank Hire, died, at the age of 87 at 11:45 Wednesday morning, January 29, 2003, at Macon General Hospital of pneumonia. Mr. Hire had suffered from Alzheimer's since 1990 and had been a resident of Knollwood Manor in Lafayette. Services were conducted on Friday morning, January 31, by Edward L. Anderson, minister of the Carthage Church of Christ where Mr. Hire was a member. Burial following the 11:00 services was in Mr. Hire's native Hayesville Community Cemetery at the Kentucky state line in Macon County. Mr. Hire was married to the former Cassie Mae Walton of Macon County who preceded him in death on January 30, 1970. They had two sons. Born Frank Robert Hire in Hayesville on December 8, 1915, he was the son of the late Willie K. "W.K." and Nannie Farley Hire. On July 4, 1970, Mr. Hire married Mrs. Beatrice Dillehay Wilmore of Defeated Creek. Mr. Hire began his career as a merchant in 1936 with the opening of the Hayesville General Merchandise Store. In 1940 he opened his first dry goods store in Livingston which launched his long and successful career as a mercantile store owner. He partnered with a family member, Delmer Jent, and Mr. Hire moved with Mrs. Cassie to Carthage and opened the Hire and Jent Department store on the West side of Main Street, where Tuley Furniture Co. is now located. In 1950, Mr. Hire relocated across the street in a new building he had constructed for the Hire and Jent Dry Goods Store of Carthage. Because of the expansion of his business he needed more room in Carthage and established the H & J Dry Goods Store just two doors from Hire and Jent. Mr. Hire also owned stores in Manchester, Monterey, Alexandria and Hartsville. He had a keen business decorum and partnered with many men to establish Carthage businesses that made Carthage a thriving business center in the 50's and 60's. He was a charter member of the Smith County Boosters Club which gave a ticket for each dollar purchase and a drawing was held in Carthage on the 4th Saturday of each month and money was given away. The merchants paid one cent for each ticket given away to customers to generate revenue for the drawings which would bring up to a thousand people to Carthage for the Saturday afternoon event. He partnered with Howard and Annie Lewis to begin Shamrock Cafe, with Max Long to begin Hire and Long 5 & 10, with Carson Maxwell to begin Hire and Long Furniture Co., with Sam Lee Kirby to begin Carthage Jewelry and with Steve Wilmore to begin Smith County Drugs. Mr. Hire sold his businesses beginning in 1973, when he sold Hire and Jent in Carthage to Billy and Ella Lee Piper, which they renamed Pipers Department Store, and the last sold was the Hartsville store which was sold in 1990. Active in the Carthage Church of Christ until overcome by ill health, he acquired the land and constructed the building for the Chestnut Mound Church of Christ. Today, it is the only Church of Christ between Carthage and Baxter along U.S. Highway 70. He also was an early supporter of the Happy Haven Home for Children, an orphanage operated by the Churches of Christ in Cookeville. Not only did he give money, but supplied clothes and shoes for the children from his stores. Mr. Hire was a charter member of the Carthage Rotary Club, a former member of the Carthage Town Council, a former member of the board of directors of Smith County Bank and had extensive land holdings in Kentucky, Mississippi and Middle Tennessee. Mr. Hire enjoyed farming and raising beef cattle, but most importantly was a gentleman with a kind manner and a willingness to help the less fortunate. Surviving, in addition to Mrs. Beatrice, his wife of thirty-two years, are his two sons, Frank Hire, Jr. of Memphis, Gordon Hire and wife, Teresa, of Hartsville; two step-children, Anita Pirtle and husband, Mark, of Murfreesboro, Steve Wilmore and wife, Marilyn, of Riddleton; sister, Laymon Smith of Lafayette; brother, Joe Hire and wife, Pauline, of Lafayette; six grandchildren, Tera and Joshua Hire of Hartsville, Bo Martindale of Murfreesboro, John, Michael and Jay Wilmore of Riddleton; great-granddaughter, Tierra Hire of Hartsville. Sanderson Funeral Home of Carthage, directors.

Helen Thaxton
South Carthage resident Mrs. Helen Thaxton died, at the age of 63, at 4:30 Saturday afternoon, January 25, 2003, at Centennial Medical Center in Nashville of respiratory failure. She was admitted to Centennial on December 18, 2002 suffering from pneumonia. Services were conducted on Tuesday morning, January 28 at 11:00 from the Carthage Chapel of Sanderson Funeral Home by Bro. David Thaxton and Bro. William Comstock. Burial following he 11:00 services was in the Smith County Memorial Gardens. Born in Carthage on April 18, 1939, she was the daughter of the late Willard Horace and Susie Mai Gillihan Silcox. She was married August 6, 1955 to Horace Mitchell Thaxton of Turkey Creek. Mrs. Thaxton and her husband lived most of their married life on North Main Street in Carthage before moving to South Carthage a year ago. She was a retired employee of the former Carthage Shirt Corporation with twenty-six years service. Mrs. Thaxton was saved on October 6, 1960 and joined the Carthage Free Holiness Church where she was a member at her death. Surviving, in addition to her husband of forty-seven years, is a son, Stanley Thaxton of South Carthage; sisters, Gail Parker of New Middleton and Ruth Porter of Rome; brother, Rex Silcox of Defeated Creek. Sanderson Funeral Home of Carthage, directors.

Robin Gayle Fulton
Robin Gayle Fulton, age 41 of the Hillsdale community in Macon County, passed away late Thursday, January 23, 2003 at Macon County General Hospital in Lafayette. The Houston, Texas native was born Friday, February 24, 1961. She was a member of the Bethel Family Worship Center and was a CNT at Smith County Health Care Center in Carthage. In October of 1979 she was united in marriage to Jerry Wayne Fulton. She is survived by her husband, Jerry Wayne Fulton; two daughters, Rachel Dalton and Kari Manning; a son, Tyler Manning; a grandson, Zackary Dalton, all of the Hillsdale community; her parents, Marlin and Estellene Brown of Livingston, Texas; a sister, Terry Springer of Scotland; four brothers, Jay Burks, Rodney Brown and Robert Burks, all of Livingston, Texas, and Mike Burks of Conroe, Texas. Funeral services were conducted at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, January 26, 2003 at Alexander-Goad Funeral Home with Rev. Bill Traughber officiating. Burial followed in Macon County Memorial Gardens. Alexander-Goad Funeral Home, Lafayette, directors.

Elbert Harris, Sr.
Mr. Elbert Harris, Sr. age 93 of Brush Creek, died Thursday, February 19, 2004, at Carthage General Hospital. Mr. Harris was born in Overton County on July 12, 1910, the son of the late Beckie Jane Walker and John Harris. Two sisters and three brothers preceded him in death: Mary Harris, Nancy Jane Dixon, Ferlie Harris, Barry Harris and Luther Harris. He was married to Girlie May Honeycut on May 5, 1993. Mr. Harris had lived in the Brush Creek community since the early 1950's. He was a farmer and attended the Brush Creek Methodist Church. Mr. Harris is survived by three daughters. Sallie (Bud) Wilson of Brush Creek, Fannie (Chester) Howard of Deer Lodge and Bessie (Moose) Sells of Jamestown; two sons, Elbert Harris, Jr. of South Carthage and Willie Allen (Belinda) Harris of Baxter; brother, Tommy Harris of Carthage. Funeral services for Mr. Harris were held at the Gordonsville Chapel of Bass Funeral Homes on Friday Morning, February 20, 2004, conducted by brother. Matt Long. Interment was in the Oakley Cemetery in Overton County. Bass Funeral Homes, Gordonsville Chapel, directors.

Michelle Lyn Hickman Murphy
Ms. Michelle Lynn Hickman Murphy, age 35 of South Carthage, died Thursday, February 19, 2004. Ms. Murphy was born July 6, 1968, in Canton, Ohio, the daughter of Judith Allyne Murphy and Jerry Lee Hickman. She was preceded in death by her Grandparents, Maggie and Orion Murphy and Elder Joe Hickman. Michelle was a paralegal. Ms. Murphy is survived by her father, Jerry L. Hickman of Carthage; Mother, Judi Murphy Carns of Massillon, Ohio; children, Skye K. Murphy of Canton, Ohio and Cierra D. Hickman of Sparta, Ohio; sister, Shelia Jo Hickman of East Canton, Ohio; Grandmother, Elena Abney Hickman of Pea Ridge community; step-sisters, Angie Hickman of Carthage and Yvonne Foutch of Cookeville. Funeral services for Ms. Murphy were held at the Carthage Chapel of Bass Funeral Homes on Sunday afternoon, February 22, 2004, conducted by Bro. Ricky Hall and Bro. Junior Nesbitt, Interment was in New Macedonia Cemetery in Chestnut Mound. Bass Funeral Homes, Carthage Chapel, directors.

Emogene Williams Sloan
Mrs. Emogene Sloan of Carthage died, at her Jefferson Avenue home at 8:59 a.m. Saturday morning. February 21, 2004 of leukemia. She was 79 years old. Services were conducted Monday afternoon from the Carthage Chapel of Sanderson Funeral Homes and burial followed in the Smith County Memorial Gardens. Elder Charles Allen Gentry officiated at the 3:00 p.m. services. Born in Pleasant Shade on May25, 1924, she was the daughter of the late Henry Alton Williams and Evie Ramsey Porter Jenkins. Mrs. Sloan was married in Glendale, California on December 11, 1943 to Dewight Lyman Sloan of Pleasant Shade. Mr. Sloan preceded her in death on June 22, 1990, after over forty years of marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Sloan lived in Pleasant Shade for forty three years before moving to Carthage. Mrs. Sloan was also preceded in death by two great-grandchildren; Rebekah Rene Sloan and Ruston Porter Sloan. Mrs. Sloan was a 1943 graduate of Smith County High School and a longtime member of the former Pleasant Shade and Carthage Home Demonstration Clubs. Saved at the age of 12, she had been a member of the Church at Pleasant Shade for over sixty seven years. After moving to Carthage, she attended the North Carthage Missionary Baptist Church. An avid doily collector and doll maker, she was a multi-talented crafts person, accomplished seamstress, decorator, gardener and homemaker. Former owner and operator of Emma's Crafts in Carthage during the 70's and 80's, she and her husband traveled extensively throughout the country to attend and display at many conventions, doll shows and craft making workshops. Surviving are four children, Kerry Porter Sloan and wife, Linda. John Foster Sloan and wife, Myra, all of Lebanon. Beth Sloan Wilburn of Florence, Kentucky, Lugene Sloan Long of Gallatin; ten grandchildren, Sloan Wilburn, Michael Sloan and wife, Anita, Greg Sloan and wife, Tiffanie, Samantha Wolfe and husband, Tim. Alyssa Njezic and husband, Joey. Lindsay McKinney and husband, Josh. Amber Long. Jane Keith, Hayley Edmonds; seven great grandchildren; Andrew Foster Ping, Marc, Grace and Hope Sloan. Ethan Njezic. Lara Beth McKinney. Harrison Foster Sloan; half sisters, Gail Preston of Gordonsville and Vicky Bell of Mt. Juliet.

Alice Dickerson
Mrs. Alice Dickerson age 98 and longtime resident of Pleasant Shade, died at 11:30 p.m. Thursday evening, February 19, 2004, at Smith County Health Care following an extended illness. Services were conducted by Elder Charles Allen Gentry and Bro. Eugene Fisher on Sunday afternoon from the Carthage Chapel of Sanderson Funeral Home. Burial following the 1:00 p.m. services was in the Sanderson Cemetery at Pleasant Shade. Born Alice Rachel Toney in Pleasant Shade on October 18, 1905. she was one of seven children of the late William A. and Mary Emily Mathews Toney. She was married October 9, 1921 to Oakley Bryant Dickerson of Pleasant Shade. He preceded her in death on December 12, 1945. Four siblings preceded Mrs. Dickerson in death, Gladys Fisher, Ruby Beasley, Oval and Raymond Toney. Three sons-in-law, J. W. Skelton, James King and Faye Bush. Mrs. Dickerson had been a member of the Mt. Tabor Missionary Baptist Church at Pleasant Shade for eighty three years and was baptized by Elder C. B. Massey in the fall of 1920. She was saved at a revival at Maces Hill Missionary Baptist in July of 1920. Surviving are three daughters. Elizabeth Skelton of Lebanon. Kathryn King of Red Boiling Springs. Dean Bush of Mexico, Missouri; two sisters, Virgie Guill of Hartsville; eight grandchildren, fourteen great grandchildren and thirteen great-great grandchildren.

Michael McIntyre
Mr. Michael McIntyre, age 41 of Carthage, was found dead Sunday afternoon, February 22, 2004, at his Futrell Alley apartment in Carthage. He was transferred Sunday evening to Dr. Bruce Levy's office in Nashville for anatomical examination. He was released Tuesday morning and Mr. McIntyre was transferred to the Carthage Chapel of Sanderson Funeral Home where arrangements were incomplete at presstime pending arrival of his family form South Carolina.

R. J. Silcox
Mr. R. J. Silcox, age 72 of Carthage died at 9:10 a.m. Monday morning, February 23, 2004 at Smith County Memorial Hospital following an extended illness. Services were conducted from the Carthage Chapel of Sanderson Funeral Home on Wednesday afternoon and burial followed in the Smith County Memorial Gardens. Rev. Roger Hobbs officiated at the 1:00 p.m. services. Born in Carthage on November 20, 1931, Mr. Silcox was the son of the late Melvin Thomas Silcox and Louise Dickerson Silcox Kellow. He was married September 27, 1952 to the former Bessie Roberts Thaxton, also of Carthage. Mr. Silcox was a retired carpenter. He had a love for fishing and was a lover and grower of roses. He was a member of the Cedar Point Baptist Church in Scottsboro, Alabama. Surviving, in addition to his wife of fifty one years, are two daughters, Dollie Foster and husband, Michael of Scottsboro, Alabama, Buttons Scruggs and husband, Curtis of Turkey creek; five sisters, Ruth Givens and husband, Jimmy of Kempville, Dorothy Maynard and husband, Stanford of Elmwood, Georgia Hale of Halls Hill, Maggie Coffee and husband, Mark of Riddleton. Frances Baker of Anderson, Indiana; two grandsons, Jamie Scruggs and wife, Heather of Birmingham, Alabama. Alan Scruggs and wife, Stacy of Hogans Creek; great granddaughter, Autumn Scruggs.

Margaret Napier
Mrs. Margaret Napier of the Rome community died at 1:50 a.m. Tuesday morning. February 24, 2004, at the Carthage General Hospital following an extended illness. She was 84 years old. Mrs. Napier and her husband Dick Napier, operated the Napier's Cafe on Lebanon Highway at the Rome bridge for many years before I-49 was built. Mrs. Napier is at the Carthage Chapel of Sanderson Funeral Home where arrangements were incomplete at presstime.