Tennessee, U.S., Delayed Birth Records, 1869-1909
Jim Haynes Jordan, 84, died Friday, Dec. 19, 2003, at his residence in the Arno Community.
Mr. Jordan was born in Williamson County, son of the late Freeman Pillow Jordan Sr. and Frances Brittain Haynes Jordan. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II and on the Williamson County School Board from 1982-92. He was a welding instructor with Nashville Auto Diesel and Yates Vocational School and a Mason with the Owen Hill Lodge in College Grove for more than 50 years. Mr. Jordan was a member of College Grove Church of Christ.
Survivors include his wife, Kathleen Jordan of College Grove; two sons, James N. Jordan of Taylor, Mich., and Ronald V. Jordan of Manchester; a daughter, Nora (Riley) Sewell of College Grove; a brother, Freeman P. Jordan Jr. of Nashville; two sisters, Mary J. Hammond of Akron, Ohio, and Martha J. Gervin of Nashville; four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Donald Ray Blanton, 52, of Rockvale died Thursday, Dec. 11, at Middle Tennessee Medical Center.
He was the son of Gladys Barrett Blanton of Murfreesboro and the late Truman Blanton and was preceded in death by brother Truman Blanton Jr.
He is survived by his wife, Brenda Kay Williams Blanton of Rockvale; son Terry Lowe Jr. of Murfreesboro; daughters Christy (Troy) Oakley of Rockvale and Ashley Lowe of Bellvue; brothers Mike Blanton of Murfreesboro and Gene Blanton of Arkansas; sister Christine Horton Blanton; grandchildren Coleby Lee Oakley and Graci Ann Oakley; and several nieces and nephews.
A native and lifelong resident of Rutherford County, he retired from the Murfreesboro Fire Department as a captain after 27 years of service. He was a beloved husband, father and grandpa and was loved by all.
Wilburn F. ‘Jumbo’ Little, 82, died Thursday, Dec. 11, 2003, at his residence in Franklin.
Mr. Little was born in Davidson County and served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He was a retired grocer with Little’s Big Star. He was a Williamson County commissioner for 34 years, a 32nd Degree Mason and member of Hiram Masonic Lodge, Franklin Lions Club, 911 Board, J.L. Clay Senior Citizens Center, and various other civic and community boards. Mr. Little also was a member of First United Methodist Church and the Darrell Waltrip Men’s Bible Study Group. He was preceded in death by his parents, J.W. and Maggie Roberts Little; two brothers, Sidney and Earl Little; and two sisters; Dorothy Beeler and Mary Frances Little.
Survivors include his wife, Mrs. Edith Smith Little of Franklin; two sons, Tommy (Beverly) Little of Triune and Russell Little of Franklin; a daughter, Brenda (Don) Young of Franklin; two brothers, J.W. Little Jr. of Franklin and T. Vance Little of Brentwood; a sister, Marie Ehresman of Triune; sister-in-law, Sarah Little of Franklin; brother-in-law, H.Y. Beeler of Brentwood; nine grandchildren, Joshua Little, Matt Reynolds, Ruth Patton, Alex Murphy, Donnie Young and Wesley, Vance, Erica and Krista Little; and five great-grandchildren.
Leonard Spencer Lovvorn, 89, of Murfreesboro, died Thursday, Dec. 11, at National Health Care.
He was the son of the late Hugh Frank and Sara Stevens Lovvorn and the widower of Edith Olean Williams Lovvorn.
He is survived by a son, James Owen Lovvorn of Murfreesboro; a daughter, Brenda (Marvin) Burton of Rockvale; three grandchildren, Lisa (Larry) Wilson, Tony (Patti) Burton and Michael (Tosha) Lovvorn; and two great-grandchildren, Michelle and Jared Wilson.
A native and lifelong resident of Rutherford County, he was a farmer. He was a member of Wards Grove Baptist Church. Mr. Lovvorn was the last of 10 children.
Lillian R. Jefferson, 73, died Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2003, at her residence in Eagleville.
Mrs. Jefferson was born and resided in Williamson County and was the daughter of the late Thomas and Lanie Harper Robinson. She was a retired clerk with the Williamson County Clerk’s Office and a member of Historic Franklin Presbyterian Church. Mrs. Jefferson was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas Alva Jefferson.
Survivors include three sons, Richard Jefferson of Franklin, John Jefferson of Columbia and Jerry Jefferson of Antioch; a daughter, Nancy Martin of Eagleville; a brother, Thomas M. Robinson of Triune; a sister, Ruth Hensehall of Lubbock, Texas; three grandchildren, Hunter and Courtney Marlin and Traci Ramirez; and three great-grandchildren.
Ada Ragsdale, 83, died Monday, Dec. 8, 2003, at Williamson Medical Center.
Mrs. Ragsdale was born in Philadelphia, daughter of the late Ralph and Lucy Hope Dickie, and made her home in Franklin. She was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, a homemaker and member of Franklin Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Survivors include two daughters, Rebecca (James) Riddle of Nashville and Melissa (Mark) Stiles of College Grove, four surviving sisters and six grandchildren.
Reagan Lee Leathers, 12 days old, of Rockvale, died Sunday, Dec. 7, 2003, at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
She was the daughter of Johnny and Kristi Leathers.
Survivors other than her parents are grandparents Arthur and Vickey Leathers, of Rockvale, Cindy Haworth, of Murfreesboro, and Dianne Turner, of La Vergne, and one brother: Aaden Leathers, of Rockvale.
Edna Mosley Crafton, 92, died Sunday, Dec. 7, 2003 at NHC Healthcare of Franklin.
She was born in Rochelle, Ill. to the late Henry O. and Elsie Russman Mosley and made her home in Franklin. A retired ward clerk with the former Williamson County Hospital, Mrs. Crafton was a member of the First United Methodist Church. Preceded in death by husband, John Edward Crafton and grandchild, Ted Hill. Survivors include a son, Eugene Crafton of Nashville; daughter, Lillian Crafton Hill of Franklin; brother, Lester Mosley and wife, Gertrude, of the Bethesda Community; grandchildren, Edward Crafton of Franklin, Ronnie (Gloria) Hill of Eagleville, Tenn., Vickie (Greg) Mashburn of Franklin, Tim (Ann) Hill of Franklin; five great grandchildren.
James Frank Lee, 66, a resident of Rockvale, died Friday, Dec. 5, 2003, at his residence.
Survivors include his sister and brother-in-law, Dinah and John Brock, of Knoxville; brother-in-law James (Peggy) Hollis Jr., of Luverne, Ala.; four nieces and two nephews; special friends Deric and Shreeti Bickett, of La Vergne.
Margaret Virginia Waldron, 91, of Franklin Road, Murfreesboro, died Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2003, at her home.
Mrs. Waldron was the daughter of the late Jimmie and Cora Elizabeth Lamb Brannon. She was preceded in death by her husband, Clarence Henry Waldron, and by a daughter, Nancy Waldron Driggers.
Survivors include a daughter and son-in-law, Theresa Diane and Lewis McKee, of Murfreesboro; sister Mattie Vasser, of Rockvale; and grandchildren, Jon McKee, of Christiana, and Jaime and Rob Millar, of Murfreesboro.
She was a member of Blackman Church of Christ and was a homemaker.
Robert (Bob) Shelton Jr., 79, of Eagleville, died Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2003 in Murfreesboro.
A Rutherford County native, he was the son of the late Robert Houston and Clara Mae Jernigan Shelton. He was preceded in death by his wife, Rachel Earlene Dalton Shelton, who died in April 1986 and two brothers: Jack Shelton and Don Shelton.
He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law: Debra and Garry Lawrence, of Chapel Hill; son David Shelton of Christiana; three sisters: Gloria McCrary, of Cookeville, Jane Puckett, of Eagleville and Katie Giles, of Thompson Station; two brothers: Billy Shelton, of Nolensville and Joe Shelton, of Eagleville; granddaughter and grandson-in-law Susan and Guy Waggoner, of Nashville; grandson Trey Lawrence, of Chapel Hill and one great-grandson: Daniel Waggoner, of Nashville.
He served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He was a retired milk hauler. He was a member of Eagleville United Methodist Church.
Vera Elizabeth Ross Tucker, 65, of Midland, died Monday, Dec. 1, 2003.
A Rutherford County native, she was the daughter of the late Robert Burton and Mattie Vera Victory Ross. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ruffs Allen Tucker.
She is survived by three daughters, Mattie Sue Ingram of Murfreesboro, Cindy Morris of Rockvale and Melissa Johnson of Murfreesboro; three sons, Phillip Tucker of Midland, Troy Tucker of Murfreesboro and Andy Tucker of Midland; three brothers, George Ross of Seattle, Wash., Owen Ross of Rockvale and Robert Ross Jr. of Murfreesboro; six sisters, Rachael Barnes of Nashville, Christine Davis of La Vergne, Fay Fusting of Smyrna, Gracie Hall of Gladeville, Louise Henley of Mt. Juliet and Evie Patterson of Smyrna; 11 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
She was a member of Midland Baptist Church and a devoted homemaker.
Pauline W. Walton, 90, of Clarksville, formerly of College Grove, died Tuesday morning, Nov. 25, 2003, in Clarksville after an extended illness.
Mrs. Walton was a native of Marshall County and a retired medical clerk, having retired from Fort Campbell Army Hospital after 13 years of service. She was a member of Clarksville Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Mrs. Walton was a daughter of the late Paul and Susie Lee Eudailey White.
Survivors include a daughter, Dottie Walton Miner of Clarksville; a son, George W. Walton of Murfreesboro; and two grandchildren.
