Obituaries
McMinnville, TN. Obituaries
Local obituaries for McMinnville, TN and the surrounding areas
Betty Jo Howard
Jun 3, 2026
McMinnville, TN resident and Warren County, TN native Betty Jo Howard, age 77, was born March 3, 1949 and died June 3, 2026 at NHC Healthcare of McMinnville following an extended illness.
A retired employee of Oster and a member of First Baptist Church of McMinnville, she was the daughter of the late George and Annie Gay Sparkman. In addition to...
Linda Campbell Polk Templeton
Jun 1, 2026
Linda Campbell Polk Templeton, age 78 of Franklin, TN passed away June 1, 2026.
Linda was born and raised in McMinnville, TN and graduated from Morrison High School in 1965. After graduation, she moved to Franklin, TN. She was a retired employee after ten years of service with Williamson County Sheriff’s Department. She was an honorary member of Williamson County Rescue...
Alfred Eugene Mosley
May 31, 2026
McMinnville resident and Daytona Beach, FL native Alfred Eugene Mosley, age 59, was born January 14, 1967 and died May 31, 2026 at Alive Hospice in Murfreesboro, TN following an extended illness.
A self-employed scrapyard worker, he was the son of Penny Brooks of Daytona, FL and the late Eugene Mosley. He was known as a “jack of all trades and...
Betty Jean Powell Short
May 31, 2026
McMinnville, TN resident and Warren County, TN native Betty Jean Powell Short, age 92, was born December 25, 1933 and died May 31, 2026 at her residence following an extended illness.
A former employee of Hillis Grocery and of the Baptist faith, she was the daughter of the late Lebern and Ruby Matheny Powell. In addition to her parents, she was...
Charles Harris Couch
May 29, 2026
Warren County native and resident Charles Harris Couch, age 94, was born September 12, 1931 and died May 29, 2026 at his residence following an extended illness.
A United States Marine Corps veteran of Korea , a retired Taxi Driver with Lentz Cee Bee and a member of Berea Church of Christ, he was the son of the late Firm Franklin...
Vernon Lewis Mears
May 28, 2026
Rocky River community resident and Houston Co., TN native Vernon Lewis Mears, age 77, was born March 1, 1949 and died May 28, 2026 at his residence following an extended illness.
A retired employee of Acument Global Technologies, he attended McMinnville Freewill Baptist Church and was the son of the late Carmon Ray and Lucille Mai Dennis Mears. In addition to...
William Howard Taylor
May 28, 2026
McMinnville, TN resident William Howard Taylor, affectionately known as “WT”, was born September 27, 1943 in Murfreesboro, TN and passed away peacefully at his residence on May 28, 2026.
WT lived a life with a rare ability to make people feel seen. As a young man, WT was a member of Maney Avenue Baptist Church, where his faith took root. He...
Mary "Kathryn" Phifer
May 26, 2026
Nashville, TN resident and longtime McMinnville resident Mary "Kathryn" Phifer, age 86, was born December 11, 1939 in Smithville, TN and died May 26, 2026 following an extended illness.
A retired master scheduler with Carrier Corp. and a member of Westwood Church of Christ, she was the daughter of the late John Comer and Carmen Grace Parker Mason. In addition to...
Mary Josephine Carrick Fitts
May 23, 2026
McMinnville, TN resident and Warren County native Mary Josephine Fitts, age 95, was born June 23, 1930 and died May 23, 2026, exactly one month before her 96th birthday, at her residence in the Centertown Community.
Mary Josephine was the last surviving child born to Dallas Bedford and Nettie Florence Lance Carrick, who preceded her in death.
On December 3, 1946 in...
Carolyn Sue Preslar
May 21, 2026
McMinnville resident and Warren County native Carolyn Sue Preslar, age 78, was born July 8, 1947 and died May 21, 2026 at her residence following a short illness.
A homemaker and a member of Covenant Fellowship Church, she was the daughter of the late Freeland Clark and Mary Frances Norrod Southard. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death...
Harold Rigsby
May 20, 2026
Van Buren County native and resident Harold Rigsby, age 100, was born February 9, 1926 and died May 20, 2026 at his residence following an extended illness.
A United States Army veteran, a retired state highway worker and farmer and a member of Mt. Elim Baptist Church, he was the son of the late Fred Harold and Hallie Etta Pack Rigsby....
Norma June Barnes Gribble
May 19, 2026
Rock Island, TN resident and Warren County, TN native Norma June Barnes Gribble, age 85, was born September 21, 1940 and died May 19, 2026 at her residence following a brief illness.
A retired employee of Findlay Industries and a member of Jericho Church of Christ, she was the daughter of the late Alton and Irene Elizabeth McGee Barnes. She was...
Louella Gunter
May 18, 2026
McMinnville, TN resident and Scott County, TN native Louella Gunter, age 81, was born July 11, 1944 and died May 18, 2026 at NHC Healthcare of McMinnville.
A retired employee of Mallory Timers, she was the daughter of the late Clark and Opal Wilson. She was married to Richard Arthel Gunter who preceded her in death. In addition to her husband...
Clifford Starkey
May 16, 2026
McMinnville resident and Warren County native Clifford Starkey, age 83, was born March 25, 1943 and died May 16, 2026 at his residence following a brief illness.
A retired truck driver with the Tennessee Department of Transportation and member of Smyrna Church of Christ, he was the son of the late Herman and Velma Bales Starkey. In addition to his...
Dr. Oscar Smith "Buzzy" Spivey, Jr., M.D.
May 15, 2026
After a valiant three-year battle with cancer, Dr. Oscar Smith “Buzzy” Spivey, Jr., M.D. transitioned peacefully to his heavenly home on May 15th, 2026, surrounded by family and friends on his beloved Mossy Branch Farm.
He is survived by his wife of fifty years, Vicki Monroe Spivey, his daughter, Frances Monroe Spivey, and son, Oscar Smith “Kav” Spivey III. He is...
James Stanley Veal
May 14, 2026
Crossville, TN resident and White County, TN native James Stanley Veal, age 90, was born July 22, 1935 and died May 14, 2026. He was the son of the late Amos and Nelta Veal. He was married to Gypsie Henry Veal who preceded him in death. In addition to his parents and wife, he was preceded in death by son,...
Newman "Chuck" Cantrell
May 13, 2026
McMinnville resident and Warren County native Newman “Chuck” Cantrell, age 60, was born February 15, 1966 and died May 13, 2026 at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN following a brief illness.
The owner of Cantrell Septic and Backhoe Service and a member of Freedom Life Church, he was the son of the late Newman Houston and Dorothy Lillian Pepper...
Frances Pedigo James
May 11, 2026
Frances Pedigo James went to her Holy Father May 11, 2026 after an extended illness. She was born January 4, 1936 to Toy Ralph and Mable Gambrell Pedigo. She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Bryson L. James.
She is survived by daughters, Deborah Frankenberg, Cynthia Preston and Gerlinde Rogers (Bobby) Eslick; son, Edward (Miriam) James; grandson,...
Henry Wallace Wood
May 10, 2026
Today we rejoice for the big, beautiful life of Henry Wallace Wood. He was called home suddenly on May 10, 2026. He was preceded in death by his parents Malcom Raleigh and Carrie Mae (Phinazee) Wood; brothers, Clarence Robert Wood, Harold Gene Wood, Algoma Perry Wood, Carlous Edward Wood, James Medford Wood; sisters, Manila Mae Marshall, Mary Lee Wood; and...
Kenneth Joe Lyle, Sr.
May 9, 2026
McMinnville resident and Warren County native Kenneth Joe Lyle, Sr., age 87, was born May 14, 1938 and died May 9, 2026 at his residence.
A United States Air Force veteran, a 3rd Degree Master Mason, a retired Captain with the McMinnville Fire Department, and a member of Long Mountain Baptist Church, he was the son of the late Leascher and Eira...
