Area Obituaries

Herman Taylor Bayless, attorney, 52, died April 14, 2011 in a single vehicle accident near his home in Sturbridge, Massachusetts. Having accepted Jesus Christ as his personal savior as a child, Herman was a lifelong Christian of the Baptist faith. He was the son of the late Hink Bayless and Dorothy Hale Bayless, and was…

Frank Brown Ammons, 89, of Pikeville, passed away January 13, 2011. He was born March 10, 1921 in Salem, New Jersey, the son of Lester and Myrtle Shephard Ammons. He was retired after more than 23 years from the United States Army having served during World War II. He was also a lifetime member of…

John R. Solomon, 63, of Dunlap, died Thursday, April 14, 2011. He was preceded in death by his wife, Rodonna Solomon. He is survived by a step-daughter, Hillary Johnson of Dunlap; sisters, Dorothy Brown of Graysville, and Eliza (Ray) Fields of Pikeville; brother, Gary (Della) Solomon of Graysville; several nieces, nephews and cousins. Funeral services…

On the morning of March 18, 2011, Jacqueline A. Miller of Montague, New Jersey, was called to her home on God’s Celestial Shore. She died at the Belle Reve Senior Center in Milford, Pennsylvania. She was born in the state of Delaware on June 9, 1938, and was an adopted child who grew up in…

Ruby Syrene (Tollett) Hughes, 99, of Crossville, passed away Sunday, April 10, 2011 at Cumberland Medical Center in Crossville.                                                                  She was born October…

Marion Tollett Downey, 93, of Pikevile died Sunday, April 17, 2011. She was a member of Red Hill Church of Christ, Nine Mile Family and Community Education and the Retired Teachers Association. Downey was preceded in death by her husband, John Irvin Downey. Survivors include her daughter Beth (Sid) Anthony; son, John Lee (Wanda) Downey…

Clay “Nace” Swafford, 92, of Spring Valley, Ohio passed away peacefully with his family on Friday, April 8, 2011. He was born September 5, 1918 in Pikeville, the son of  William “Bill” and Della (Dyer) Swafford. He was a World War II veteran, serving in the South Pacific aboard the Navy carrier USS Princeton CVL-23. He…

Cloma Risen, 82, of Pikeville, formerly of Cape Coral, Florida and Morgantown, Kentucky passed away on April 11, 2011. She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Risen; parents, Bluitt and Lou Coy; brother, Jim Coy; and a sister, Inez Minton. She is survived and will be sorely missed by her sons, James Woodward…

Priscilla Jane Pursley, 64, of Dunlap died April 7, 2011. She was a member of Mt. Airy Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her parents, Jewell and Hallie Lamb. She is survived by a daughter, Angela (Randall) Sweeney of Chattanooga, and a son, Charles (Kim) Pursley of Dunlap; grandchildren, Tasha, Colston, Alexandria and…

Helen Beckler Mooers, 85, of Pikeville died Saturday, April 2, 2011. She was a member of Lisbon United Methodist Church in Lisbon Falls, Maine. She was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and a retired registered nurse. She was preceded in death by her husband H. Brian Mooers, Sr. She is survived…