Obituaries

Mr. James Ronald Coons, age 76, passed away Wednesday, May 6, 2026. Mr. Coons was born April 13, 1950, in Miami, Fla. to the late James E. and Dorothy N. Jeffries Coons. He proudly served his country as a veteran of the United States Army. Throughout his life, he dedicated himself to hard work and service to others. He was employed as a truck driver with Batesville Casket Company for over 18 years, worked for the State of Tennessee for seven years, and later worked in Information Technology for Ascension St. Thomas until his retirement in 2021. He enjoyed a wide variety of hobbies and interests that reflected his adventurous spirit and love of learning. He found great enjoyment in fly fishing, boating, motorcycles, cooking, and kayaking. In recent years, he developed a special interest in Thai cooking and enjoyed exploring new recipes and flavors. In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by one stepchild, Donnie Pickard. Mr. Coons is survived by his wife of over 37 years, Donna Lynn Pickard; son, Justin Greg Francis; stepchildren, Beverly (Jim) Smith and Lisa Paul; sister Maxine, who lives in Cuba; six grandchildren; six great-grandchildren and three loved fur babies, PJ, Bentley and Desi. Visitation with the family was held Friday, May 8, from noon until 2 p.m. at Central Funeral Home. Graveside service and burial was at 2:30 p.m. at Manchester City Cemetery.

Lester Raymond “Ray” Amos, Jr., age 87, passed away peacefully on Sunday, May 17, 2026. A devoted husband, father, veteran, and public servant, Ray lived a life defined by honor, hard work, and a deep love for his family. Born in Blakely, Georgia, on Dec. 13, 1938, Ray was the son of the late Lester Raymond Amos, Sr. and Roberta Young Amos. On February 12, 1958, Ray enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He served with distinction for twenty years, rising to the rank of Master Sergeant. He was honorably discharged on Feb. 12, 1979, carrying the Marine values of loyalty and discipline with him throughout the rest of his life. Following his military retirement, Ray transitioned into a successful twenty-eight year career with the United States Postal Service. He served faithfully as a Postmaster, beginning in Normandy, Tennessee, continuing in Morrison, and lastly in Belvidere, where he retired. Ray was a well-respected figure in each community he served, known for his reliability and dedication. Outside of his professional life, Ray was a man of many interests. He had a deep passion for genealogy, meticulously tracing and preserving his family’s history. He was a member of Coffee County Historical Society and also served on the Manchester Historic Zoning Commission. Above all, Ray loved to travel. His favorite journeys were those where he could include his grandchildren, creating beautiful memories and sharing his adventurous spirit with the next generations. In addition to his parents, Ray was preceded in death by his brother, Danny Franklin Amos. He leaves behind a large and loving family to cherish his memory. He is survived by his beloved wife, Lori Amos; his three sons, Lester Raymond Amos III (Susan), Stanley Frank Amos, and Derek Lyle Amos (Jennifer); and his daughter, Emily Joy Underwood (James). He is also survived by his sister, Mary Ruth Highsmith; his brother, Barry Lynn Amos; half-brother, Raymond A. Amos (Laura); nine grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren, all of whom brought immense joy and pride to his life.Visitation for family and friends was held on Wednesday, May 19 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Manchester Funeral Home. Funeral services were conducted at the funeral home on Thursday at 10 a.m. with Dustin Welch officiating. Burial with full military honors followed at Rose Hill Memorial Gardens in Tullahoma. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made in Ray’s honor to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.

GIFFIN

GEORGE

MASON

RILEY

MCCORMICK

Timothy W. “Tim” Forsythe, Jr, passed away peacefully, surrounded by love, leaving behind a legacy of strength, faith, and endurance that will never be forgotten. He was born in Willoughby, Ohio to Timothy W. Forsythe, Sr. and Roseanna Earls Forsythe. For the last eight years, Tim had served as the Associate Pastor of Students and Families at Trinity Baptist Church in Manchester. He was a devoted husband, father, son, and friend, deeply cherished by those who knew him. Tim had a way of making people feel at ease-whether through his sense of humor, his steady presence, or simple kindness he showed in everyday moments. He valued his family and his church. Above all else, he loved Jesus with all his heart and lived in service to Him. Throughout his life, Tim faced challenges with courage and determination. Even in difficult times, he showed a remarkable ability to keep going, often putting others before himself. His strength was not just in how he endured, but in how he cared- for his family, his friends, and anyone who needed him. Tim was preceded in death by his precious sister, Melanie Forsythe. He is survived by his loving wife, Kelly; his five sons, William, Abe, Judd, Tucker, and Abel; his loving parents, Tim Sr. and Roseanna Forsythe; and his adored sister, Amanda. They will all carry forward his memory and the lessons he taught through his actions: patience, faith, and love. Tim will be deeply missed, but his impact will remain in the lives he touched. His memory will live on in shared stories, quiet moments of reflection, and the enduring love of those who knew him. Visitation was held on Monday, April 20, 2026 at Trinity Baptist Church in Manchester from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. A service to honor and celebrate his life began at 1 p.m. with Jerry Pullum, Tim Forsythe, Sr. and Jim Patton officiating. Burial followed at Franklin Memorial Gardens in Winchester. For those who wish, in lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Trinity Baptist Church “Together We Grow” Building Fund.

Elmer Gordan Woodlee Jr. departed this life April 23, 2026, at his daughter’s home surrounded by many loved ones. EG was born on Oct. 27, 1932, to his late parents, Elmer Gordan Woodlee Sr. and Elva Ruby Hawk Woodlee, on his family farm. He had a lot of stories that he liked to tell including one about riding his cow over the Elk River and doing some fishing. Later when he was grown and old enough, he enlisted in 1952 into the United States Air Force and remained there until his time was over. He found work in Cleveland, OH, where he later met the love of his life, Polly Ann Adkins, to whom he was married for 58 years until her passing in 2009. In his spare time, he liked to watch chickens fight, racoon and squirrel hunt, farm, and many other things, but most of all he loved spending time with family unless there was a baseball game on. Daddy lived to be 93 years old and I was so blessed to have shared him. I miss you already but I know you’re at peace now. I love you bigger than the sky, Daddy. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by sister, Willian Barlow; son, Mark Woodlee; wife and the love of his life, Polly. Mr. Woodlee is survived by son, Steve Woodlee; daughters, Felicia (Travis) Black, Danielle (Jason) Vanzant; many grandchildren, Kortney, Ian, Hannah, Zoey, Bailee, Holden, and Natalie; great grandchildren, Vada Live, Zepplin, Kaleb, Knox, Scottlyn, Addy and Daisy, Psalms, Braxton, and Natalie. Visitation was held Saturday, April 25, from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Central Funeral Home in Manchester. Funeral services were conducted Sunday, April 26, at 2 p.m. in the chapel of Central Funeral Home. Burial followed at Bethel Cemetery in Pelham.

Dr. William “Eddie” Edward Green, Jr., age 78, of Normandy, passed away peacefully at his home on Thursday, April 16, 2026. A man of deep faith, dedicated service, and healing, Eddie was a beloved figure in every community he touched. Born in Spartanburg, South Carolina, on Aug. 13, 1947, he was the son of the late William E. Green, Sr. and Mary Agnus Green. Eddie served his country with honor as a Captain in the United States Army. Following his military service, he pursued an extensive education, earning his MD from the University of South Carolina before attending Sherman College of Chiropractic. Dr. Green went on to own and operate his chiropractic practice in the Manchester community for over 26 years, where he was known as a compassionate healer and a trusted friend to his patients. Following his retirement from chiropractic medicine, Eddie continued his lifelong commitment to service as an Online Minister. He found great fulfillment in reaching others through his “Ask the Pastor” ministry on Hughes.net, providing spiritual guidance to an international online community. Eddie was a passionate sports fan who found great joy in watching college football and cheering for the Atlanta Braves; he rarely, if ever, missed a game. Above all, he loved spending quality time with his friends and family. He was a man of integrity and warmth whose presence will be deeply missed by all who knew him. He was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his devoted wife of 21 years, Bonnie Green, whom he married in September of 2004. He leaves behind his children, William E. “Bill” Green III and wife Stephanie, Elizabeth “Beth” McIntosh and husband Chris, Kelly Huggins and husband Sammy, and Kim Logan and husband Danny. He is also survived by his stepchildren, Tonya Overcast, Rhonda Hathaway and husband Richie, Johnny Alford, and James Alford; his brother, James Kent of Fredericksburg, VA; and his cherished 102-year-old aunt, Nel MacMahon of South Carolina. His legacy further lives on through numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and a large extended family.