Obituaries

Ervin Chester
Phillips, age 82 of
Helenwood, TN passed
away on Wednesday,
July 26, 2023, at UT
Medical Center surrounded
by his loving
family. He was born on
April 5, 1941, in Paint
Rock, TN to L.C. and
Bertha Coffey Phillips.
He was a member of
the Helenwood Baptist
Church where he
served as Trustee for many years and was a former
member of the Scott County School Board.
Ervin took great joy in meeting the people he
came in contact with through various jobs during
his life. He will be missed by the many lives he
has touched throughout his journey.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in
death by his brothers: Hoyle, Defoe, Austin,
Denzil, Dana, and L.C. Junior; sisters: Bernice
(Phillips) Jones, Edith (Phillips) Rector; and
several beloved brothers & sisters-in-law.
Ervin is survived by his loving wife of 63 years:
Lila Ruth (Clark) Phillips; his children: Ervin
(Chuck), Jr., Kevin and wife Suzanne, Michele
(Phillips) Murley and husband Keith, Tina (Phillips)
Allen and husband Sean; several adored
grandchildren: Kayla (Murley) Carson and husband
Chris (great grandchildren Abel & Enoch),
Trey Allen, Rhyan (Murley) Hughett and husband
Chad (great grandchildren Emma, Harper,
& Oaklan), Trevor Allen and wife Bri (great
grandchildren Blakely & Avery), Payton (Allen)
Powell and husband Elijah (great grandchildren
Ava & Ellie), Kaden Phillips, and Carly Phillips;
sisters: Diana (Phillips) Newport and husband
David, Cara Sue (Phillips) Thompson and Jerry,
and Myrtle (Phillips) Kennedy; as well as a host
of other family members and friends.
Friends may visit with the Ervin Phillips Family
on Saturday, July 29, 2023, from 1:00 p.m. until
time of funeral service at 3:00 p.m. at the Helenwood
Baptist Church with Bro. Kevin Sexton
officiating. Music will be provided by: Arnold
and Lloyd Stephens.
A private family graveside service will follow
at the Daniel Memorial Cemetery in the Helenwood,
TN. Pallbearers will be: Keith Murley,
Sean Allen, Trey Allen, Trevor Allen, Kaden
Phillips, Chris Carson, Chad Hughett, and Elijah
Powell.
Jones & Son Funeral Home is serving the family
of Ervin Chester Phillips.

Ruth A. Smith, 98, of
Vero Beach, Florida,
passed into eternity to
be with her Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ
on July 24, 2023. Ruth
was born on December
6, 1924 in Ages, Kentucky
to Alfred Houston
Hale and Mary
Ann Hale (Wildes).
She grew up in New
River, Scott County
Tennessee where she excelled in school and
sang with the Baptist church choir, including a
trip to the grand opening of the Great Smoky
Mountains National Park, one of her cherished
memories. After the death of her young mother,
Ruth was sent to live with an Aunt in Cincinnati,
Ohio. She became a nanny for the Proctor
family and later found a job working to support
the war effort. There, she met and married the
love of her life, Charles R. Smith. After returning
to Tennessee to care for her ailing father
and give birth to their first two children, the
couple moved permanently to Lebanon, Ohio.
They opened Smith Grocery in Genntown, Ohio
in 1952 with a truckload of watermelons and
a bumper crop of cucumbers. The pair were
natural entrepreneurs and their business grew
to include a pottery shop, gas station, carry out,
truck stop restaurant and auction house. Eventually
they opened Genntown Furniture, a Lebanon
landmark for 25 years.
Ruth’s passion was for mentoring and encouraging
young people. She assisted in founding
the Lebanon charter chapter of the American
Business Women’s Association (ABWA) in
order to provide scholarships to young women
and promote a supportive network to all women
in the workforce. Ruth was tireless in supporting
her local community through her business,
her dedication to local and state politics and the
Genntown Church.
Instead of retiring at age 65, she started a second
career with the Ohio Department of Transportation
as a travel counselor. For the next ten years
she promoted the beautiful state of Ohio and
made lasting memories visiting the state’s many
destinations with her fellow employees. Ruth
finally retired at age 76 and became a snowbird,
dividing her time between Ohio and Florida,
where she could enjoy her new role as “Gee-
Gee” to her great grandchildren and spend time
with her beloved sister, Maude. She lived the
last years of her life with her children where she
loved to sing and draw and spend time outdoors
by the beach.
She is survived by her daughter Patricia Pemberton
of Vero Beach and daughter and son-in-law,
Suzan and Mark Blaker of Vero Beach. Sister,
Maude Baker of Charleston, SC, grandchildren,
Michelle (Terrance) Campbell, Sheri (Dion)
Smith, Brent Whaley, Tina (David) Parton, Alex
(Kristin) Smith and Nic Smith. Ruth cherished
her extensive family and was especially grateful
for those she was able to be close to, Katelynn
Campbell, Cameron Smith , Jacob Smith and her
“favorite” niece, Barbara Cain. She was preceded
in death by her husband Charles and son,
Floyd R. Smith as well as five young brothers,
Herman, Woodrow, Conley, James and George.
She leaves a legacy of a great faith in God, love
of family and friends and hard work.
Her earthly body will be interned next to her
husband at Miami Cemetery in Waynesville,
Ohio.
Donations in Ruth’s honor may be made to the
Warren County Foundation Scholarship Fund,
PO Box 490, Lebanon, Ohio 45039. (Note: Ruth
A Smith Memorial Fund)
Arrangements are by Thomas S. Lowther Funeral
Home & Crematory, Vero Beach.

Jerred Taylor Henry,
age 29, departed this
life on Saturday, July
29, 2023, with his family
by his side. He was
born on January 16,
1994, to this parents
Donnie and Vanessa
Henry. Jerred enjoyed
hunting, fishing, and
being outdoors. He was
a great husband, father,
son, brother, uncle
and friend. Before his
illness, He was a volunteer firefighter for 8 years
serving with the South- South Fire Dept. He also
worked as a custodian for Robbins Elementary
for 2 years. He loved his job. The kids loved
him, as much as, he loved them. They referred
to him as “Uncle Jerred”. He also assisted in
coaching the Robbins Elementary Football
Team.
He is preceded in death by: Grandmothers:
Edna West, Ruth Henry; Grandfather: Jr. Henry;
Uncle: David Harness; 2) Aunts: Barbara Wright
and Althea Perry.
Jerred is survived by his special wife: Abbie
Henry; His Girls: Ainsley and Aubree Henry;
Parents: Donnie Henry and Vanessa Kay Henry;
(1) Twin Brother: Jordan Tyler Henry and
fiancé Andrea; Grandfather: Bill West; Aunts:
Kay Hutson (H) Raymond, Mary Chambers (H)
Steve, Nancy Ford, Lila Reagan (H) Tim, Beulah
Bowling (H) Howard, Lisa Thompson (H)
John, Tessa West; Uncles: Billy West and Fiancé
Christina, Franklin Perry, and Donald Wright;
(3) Nieces: Janessa, Haelyn, and Amarii; (3)
Nephews: Hazen, Dakota, and 1) unborn namesake:
Little Jerred; Brother and Sister-in-Laws:
Bradley and Chloe Harness; Father and Motherin-
Laws: Nicole Harness and Husband Greg and
Tommy Huckeby; Special Friends: Arnold Lawson,
Marvin Buttram, Dennis and Amy Jeffers;
His Favorite Pets: Sassy and Smokey; Jerred
leaved behind several other special cousins, relatives,
and friends.
The family would like to extend a special thanks
to the staff of Thompson Oncology of Oak
Ridge for the exceptional care received along
with special nurse navigator, Natalie Garcia.
You may light a candle in his honor by visiting
www.fouroaksfuneralhomes.com
The Family will receive friends for visitation
on Tuesday, August 1, 2023, from 4:00 P.M.
until time of funeral services to begin at 7:00
P.M. in the chapel of Four Oaks Funeral Home
in Huntsville with Bro. Jerry Byrge officiating.
Music will be provided by Diana Byrge, Scotty
Harness, Arnold Lawson, and Jamie Bowling.
Graveside services will be held on Wednesday,
August 2nd, 2023, at 11:00 A.M. in the Black
Creek Crossroads Cemetery in Robbins, Tn.
Pallbearers will be Greg Harness, Scott Day,
Ryan Daugherty, Arnold Lawson, Adam Overton,
Bradley Harness.
Honorary Pallbearers will be his father: Donnie
Henry, Twin Brother, Jordan Henry, Billy Harness,
Davie and William Phillips.
Four Oaks Funeral Home of Huntsville is honored
to be serving the family of Mr. Jerred
Henry

Mrs. Susie Stewart
Gunther, age 79 of
Helenwood, TN passed
away on Wednesday,
July 26, 2023, at the
Methodist Medical
Center of Oak Ridge
with her family by her
side. Mrs. Gunther was
born in Morgan County,
TN on August 7,
1943, to the late Link
and Myrtle Stewart.
She was a member of
Burgess Creek Baptist
Church.
Mrs. Susie (along with her husband, Junior) had
a mobile home moving business for many years.
Susie also loved doing woodworking, quilting,
working puzzles and worked many years in the
hospital and nursing home in housekeeping. She
had a kind and giving heart.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in
death by her loving husband of 52 years, Mr.
Walter Harrison Gunther, Jr.; sister, Ethel Haley;
three brothers, Elmer, Haskel, and Clayton.
Mrs. Susie is survived by two brothers, Elbert
Stewart and wife Edith and William Stewart;
two sisters, Annie Stewart Lowe and Marie
Stewart Phenis; special nephew and caregiver,
James Byrge and wife Mitzi; friend and neighbor,
Mable and Dean Stevens along with many
other family members and friends.
Friends may visit with the Gunther family on
Wednesday, August 2, 2023 from 1 p.m. until
time of the funeral service at 2 p.m. in the chapel
of West-Murley Funeral Home with Bro. J.R.
Massengale and Bro. Dudley Harness officiating.
Music will be provided by Marilyn Byrge,
Leisha Byrge and Leisha Martin.
Committal service will follow in the Reed Cemetery
in the New River community. Pallbearers
will be: Jamie Byrge, Mike Byrge, Randy Byrge,
Gerald Stewart, Dennis Byrge, and Billy Miller.
Honorary pallbearers will be: Dewayne Overton,
Jeff Overton, Michael Haley, Danny Haley,
Bobby Byrge, and Harold Byrge.
West-Murley Funeral Home is serving the family
of Mrs. Susie Stewart Gunther.