Obituaries
Donald Dodson
ETHRIDGE — Donald Wayne Dodson, age 61, formerly of East Ridge, Tenn., went home to be with his Lord and Savior Sept. 5, 2016.
Donnie attended East Ridge High School and was of the Baptist faith.
He lived in Miami Beach for over 35 years and was employed with the Rodney/ Best Western Hotel in Miami Beach, where he friended many people from across the world, he never met a stranger.
While living in Florida, Donnie loved shrimping and fishing from the docks. After retiring, Donnie returned to Holiday Acres Farm, in Ethridge, Tenn., where he enjoyed taking care of his many animals. He was preceded in death by his father, Jack Dodson; and aunt, Clara Richards.
Survivors include his mother, Catherine Dodson; brothers, Dennis and James Dodson, all of East Ridge, Tenn.; sister, Deborah Dodson Brown, of Mt. Pleasant, Tenn.; several nieces, nephews and special friends from Florida also survive.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 12, 2016, in the chapel of Wilson Funeral Home, with Rev. Dennis Eugene Dodson, Jr. officiating.
Interment will follow in Forest Hills Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 2 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 8, 2016, and on Monday, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Online guestbook www. wilsonfuneralhome.com.
Arrangements by W. L. Wilson & Sons Funeral Homes, Fort Oglethorpe, Ga.
Ann Hickey
SOUTH PITTSBURG — Ann Thomas Hickey, 65, died Sunday, Sept. 4, 2016, following an extended battle with cancer.
Born in Bridgeport, Ala., to the late Fred Vernon and Dorothy Odell Cooper Thomas, she was raised in Chicago, Ill., and moved back to this area in 1970.
Ann will be remembered as a loving wife, mother and grandmother to her three precious grandchildren.
She is survived by her husband of 44 years, Doyle Hickey, of South Pittsburg, Tenn.; daughter, Donya Lancaster, of Watertown, Tenn., and Brian (Jaclyn) Hickey, of Tupelo, Miss.; grandchildren, Evan Lancaster, Abigail Hickey and Landon Hickey; sister, Jean Miller, of Abingdon, Ill.; brothers, Fred (Annie) Thomas, of Galesburg, Ill., and Jimmy Thomas, of Lexington, Tenn.; several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be conducted from the South Pittsburg Chapel of Rogers Funeral Home at 11 a.m. Central time today, Sept. 8, 2016, with Billy Watkins officiating.
Interment will be in Sequatchie Valley Memorial Gardens.
Condolences may be sent to the family by vis itingwww. rogers funeral home. com.
Martha McGhee
DUNLAP — Martha Jewell McGhee passed away Saturday.
She was a recent resident of the Haven of Rest and The Bridge At Monteagle.
Services: 2 p.m. today, Sept. 8, at Tracy City First Baptist Church.
Burial: Plainview Cemetery. On line condolences: www.cumberlandfuneralhome.net.
Arrangements by Cumberland Funeral Home, Monteagle.
Cliff Parnell
SOUTH PITTSBURG — Clifton Neal Parnell, 66, died Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016, at his home.
Visitation is Friday, Sept. 9, 2016, from 2 to 6 p.m., Central, Rogers Funeral Home, South Pittsburg.
Funeral is Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016, at 10 a.m., Central, at the funeral home.
Interment in Cumberland View Cemetery, Kimball, Tenn.
Condolences: www. rogersfuneralhome.com.
Nelson Roth
DAYTON — Nelson Dean Joseph Michael Roth, 58, went to be with his Lord and Savior on Monday, Sept. 5, 2016, at the Hospice Care Center. He was surrounded by his loving family.
Mr. Roth was born in Tampa, Fla., and had lived most of his adult life in both Pensacola, Fla., and Dayton, Tenn. He was a graduate of Liberty College in Pensacola, Fla., where he had earned a degree in theology. Nelson enjoyed riding motorcycles, shooting, collecting firearms, scuba diving, and reading, but mostly, he liked to share his faith and love for the Lord with others. He was employed by PerkinElmer in Cleveland, Tenn., and contracted by Bayer Pharmaceutical.
Mr. Roth was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Clarence, LaPearl Roth; and half-brother, Jimmy Priest.
Survivors include his wife, Carol Sue (Sheets) Roth; son, Anthony (Tony) Edward Roth; grandsons, Ayden and Joseph; parents, Bradley Anthony Roth and Barbara Maria Roth; sister, Pamela (Roth) Hogg; half brothers and sister, Wayne, Dennis, Tyrone, and Linda Priest. Survivors also include numerous in-laws and many nieces and nephews.
Family will receive visitors for visitation from 10 a.m. to noon today, Sept. 8, 2016, at Hamilton Funeral Home, Hixson Pike, Hixson, TN.
A graveside service will follow visitation at 12:30 p.m. at Hamilton Memorial Gardens.
Arrangements are by Hamilton Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 4506 Hixson Pike, Hixson, 423531-3975.
GEORGIA Margaret Cagle
TUNNEL HILL — Margaret Ruth Ledford Cagle, 87, passed away Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016.
A lifelong resident of the North Georgia area, she was of the Baptist faith.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Loy B. Cagle; parents, Ralph Lewis and Audrey Irwin Ledford; and two sons-in-law, Virgil “Jr.” Oldham and Steve Fine.
She is survived by three daughters and son-in-law, Deborah Oldham, of Ringgold, Ga., Janice Fine, of Tunnel Hill, Ga., and Pat and Scott Denson, of Dalton, Ga.; sister, Linda McDearmond, of Eva, Ala.; brother, Lewis Ledford, of Huntsville, Ala.; four grandchildren, Dennis Oldham, Dusty Fine, Aimee Fine Peek, and Beth Denson Bryson; eight great-grandchildren, several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held 3 p.m. Friday, Sept. 10, 2016, in the funeral home chapel, with Rev. Randy Chesnutt and Rev. Gurney Beard officiating.
The family will receive friends Friday, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., at the funeral home.
Arrangements are by Wilson Funeral Home Wallis-Stewart Chapel Ringgold, Ga.
An online register book may be signed at www.wilsonfuneralhome.com.
Katie Beth Carter
RINGGOLD — Katherine Elizabeth (Katie Beth) Carter, 18, passed away Monday, Sept. 5, 2016, in an Atlanta hospital.
She was an honor graduate at Heritage High School class of 2016 and was currently attending Jacksonville State University, where she was majoring in Early Childhood Education. She was a member of City Church of Chattanooga, where she volunteered in the church nursery because she loved children.
Her other passion was dancing and was a member of the Scenic City Dance Center as well as a member of the Jacksonville State University Marching Ballerinas.
She loved her youth group at City Church, she loved to laugh, and she loved her family, especially family game night, but above all, she loved her Lord Jesus Christ.
She leaves behind to cherish her memory, her parents, Jason and Amy Carter, of Ringgold; sister, Kimi Carter; and brother, Jacob Daniel Carter and his fiancée, Rachel Rebne, all of Ringgold, Ga.; grandparents, James Daniel and Gayle Carter, of Ringgold; Debbie and George Anthros, of Canton, Ga., and Dan and Jane Green, of Atlanta, Ga.; uncles, Noah Green, of Atlanta, Ga., Joey Anthros, of Canton, Ga., and Josh and Jennifer Carter, of Bremen, Ga.
Funeral services will be conducted at 7 p.m. today, at the City Church of Chattanooga.
There will be a private closing service at Anderson Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive friends from 4 to 7 p.m. today, at the church prior to the service.
In lieu of flowers, a scholarship fund has been set up in Katie Beth’s honor at North Georgia Federal Credit Union in Ringgold, Ga.
We invite you to send a message of condolence and view the Carter family guestbook at www.ralphbuckner. com.
Ralph Buckner Funeral Home and Crematory is in charge of the services.
Annie Crittenden
DALTON — Annie Louise Cutts Crittenden, 79, passed away on Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016.
Funeral service is Friday, Sept. 9, 2016, at 1 p.m., at Bethesda Baptist Church, Plainville, Ga.
Visitation is today, from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Interment in Church Cemetery.
Arrangements by Willis Funeral Home Inc., Dalton, Ga.
Julia Rossell
FORT OGLETHORPE — Julia Smith Rossell, 81, passed away Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016, at a local health care facility.
She was a lifelong resident of the Chickamauga and Fort Oglethorpe area and was a lifelong member of the Fort Oglethorpe Church of Christ.
Mrs. Rossell retired in 1996 from K-Mart in Fort Oglethorpe, having worked in the ladies department and as a greeter for over 23 years.
Her passions in life were God; her family, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren; and bowling at Fort Lanes in Fort Oglethorpe.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Donald Rossell; parents, Jack and Eleanor Smith; brother, Jack Smith; and sister, Helen Smith.
Survivors include her children, Sheila Brown, of Rock Spring, Sharon Nicholson of Fort Oglethorpe, and Donna Conley, of Chattanooga; sister, Netha Crawford, of Ringgold; three grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Condolences may be sent to www.lane-southcrestchapel.com.
Graveside services will be held Friday, at 3 p.m. at Lakewood Memory Gardens, South, with Minister C.G. Griffith officiating.
The family will receive friends today, from 4 to 8 p.m. and Friday, from noon until 2:30 p.m., at the South Crest Chapel of Lane Funeral Home and Crematory, located at the end of historic Missionary Ridge, Rossville
Eugene Merritt Sr.
FORT OGLETHORPE — Eugene Emerson Merritt, Sr., 76, of Graysville, Tenn., formerly of Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., went home to be with his Lord on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016.
He was born Nov. 4, 1939, in Nashville, the son of the late Emerson and Sarah Merritt. Mr. Merritt, retired from the textile industry in 1980.
He was a member of the Oakwood Baptist Church in Chickamauga, Ga.
He was preceded in death by son, Eugene Emerson Merritt, Jr.
Survivors include son, Dewayne Merritt, of Chattanooga; daughter, Melissa Scott, of Rome, Ga.; and step-daughter, Patricia Roberts, of Fort Oglethorpe, Ga.; sisters, Pauline(Jesse) Presley, Beatrice(James) Davis and Joyce Teets, all of Chatanooga; grandchildren, nieces and nephews also survive.
Funeral services will be Friday, Sept. 9, 2016, at 2:30 p.m., in the chapel, with burial to follow in the Tennessee Georgia Memorial Park.
Visitation will be from 11 a.m. until the funeral hour.
Online guest book at www. wilsonfuneralhome.com.
Arrangements by W. L. Wilson & Sons Funeral Homes, Fort Oglethorpe, Ga.
Neva Palmer
ROSSVILLE — Neva A. Palmer, 81, went home to be with her Lord on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016, in a local health care facility. Mrs. Palmer had spent the greater part of her life in Rossville and was a charter member of Battlefield Baptist Church.
She retired from Conagra Poultry.
She was preceded in death by her parents, William and Willie Thomason, and nine siblings.
Survivors include her husband of 53 years, Russell Palmer; numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, at 1 p.m. in the South Crest Chapel, with Pastor David Crane officiating.
Burial will follow in Lakewood Memory Gardens, East.
To share expressions of sympathy, visit lane-southcrestchapel.com.
The family will receive friends Friday, from 4 to 8 p.m. at the South Crest Chapel of Lane Funeral Home & Crematory, at the end of historic Missionary Ridge, Rossville.
John Rickman
DECATUR — John Wayne Rickman, 69, of Chongqing, China and formerly of Decatur, died June 4, 2016.
Memorial Service: 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016, Mountain View Memorial Gardens.
Arrangements by Bowers Funeral Home, Inc., Decatur.
Roger Smith
TRENTON — Roger Jay Smith, 73, passed away peacefully at his residence on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016, surrounded by his family.
He was a retired truck driver for Pilgrim’s Pride. Mr. Smith is a veteran of the U.S. Navy serving from 1963 to 1967 and was a member of the American Legion, Post 106.
He was preceded in death by his parents, John P. and Lucille LeRoy Smith.
Surviving include his children, Kevin Smith, of Hixson; Brian Smith (Angie Gass), of Trenton, Ga.; Amanda Pace (D.J.), of Clarksville, Tenn.; 11 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; sister, JoAnne Haefeli, of Fort Worth, TX; brother, B.J. Smith, of Alexandria, Va.; also several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held at noon on Friday Sept. 9, 2016, in the chapel of Ryan Funeral Home with Tim Riddle officiating.
Interment will follow at 1:30 p.m. in the Chattanooga National Cemetery with military honors.
Family will receive friends from 4 to 8 p.m. today and from 9 a.m. to noon on Friday at the Ryan Funeral Home in Trenton, GA.
Visit www.RyanFuneralHome.net to share memories and condolences.