Bill Smith Passes Away Retired Banker Beloved by People of Woodbury
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Lionettes roar Veterans’ stories back to state are remembered See Page 13 See Page 5, 15 Home of BRYAN WEST 131rd YEAR - NO. 17 Wednesday, NOVEMBER 7, 2015 TWO SECTIONS - 50¢ PER COPY Bill Smith passes away Retired banker beloved by people of Woodbury Friends, associates and 50+ years at the bank,” enough good things about with joy. Bill was always the entire town of Wood- said Andy Bryson, former Bill,” said Craig Mears of actively involved in the bury are mourning the editor and owner of the Woodbury. community that he loved. death of Mr. William “Bill” Cannon Courier. “I have been blessed to I will miss him. My deep- Smith, 97. Like many other peo- know and work with Bill est sympathy to his fami- Mr. Smith, a lifelong res- ple, the Smith family the past 15 years. I can’t say ly,” said Lu Ann Curlee of ident of Woodbury passed was always close to the enough good things about Woodbury. away on Oct. 30, 2015. He Brysons. Smith gave many what he has done for me, Bill, as he was known to Marsha Pett y is the new di- was born on June 10, 1918 youngsters their fi rst job in my family and our com- his family and friends, was rector of Adams Memorial to the late George Stanton Woodbury. munity. They broke the born in the Edgefi eld com- Library. Smith and Linda Brevard “My fi rst job was haul- mold when he was made. munity of Woodbury. His Smith. ing hay during the sum- Prayers to all of his fami- parents owned a farm and He was also preced- mer for Bill on his farm,” ly and friends,” said Tim taught him a great work New director ed in death by his wife, Bryson said. “Hayden and Gentry, Bill’s co-worker at ethic from childhood. They Dorothy Smith; brother, I stayed with Steve and Smith Funeral Home. raised their own livestock accepts post George Smith; sister, Min- Mike many nights at their “It was with such great and garden to support the nie Smith; son, Mike Smith BILL SMITH home on the old Murfrees- sadness that I read of Bill’s family. at Library and great grandson, Wil- his devoted friend and boro Road just west of the passing. When I moved to His father died when MIKE WEST liam Robert Patt erson. caretaker, Christine Dillon. Funeral Home.” Woodbury with my moth- Bill was only 13 years Courier Editor He is survived by his “Bill was constantly pro- “Bill gave me my fi rst job er, Ruth Curlee, he was old in the middle of the A talented staff combined son, Steve Smith of Wood- moting Cannon County out of college. He would one of the fi rst people to Great Depression. It was with a great community bury; granddaughters, and what a good place it always have some errands welcome me and want to during these diffi cult times makes Marsha Pett y grate- Lindsay (Joe) Patt erson was to live, work and raise to run for him or some- involve me in the commu- that Bill’s character was ful about her new job as di- and Blaire Smith both of a family. He touched the body. We always talked on nity. I enjoyed very much formed. He graduated rector of Adams Memorial Woodbury; a great grand- lives of a countless num- Monday morning about hearing his stories about from Central High School Library. son, Gabriel Patt erson and ber of people during his our weekend. I can’t say my family which he told See SMITH, Page 2 “I couldn’t have a bett er staff . They are very talent- ed and they work so well together,” Pett y said. “And Grant to build new I can’t say enough about Woodbury and Cannon County. It’s a nice, loving CC health center community.” MIKE WEST gional Health Department “I hope to make everyone Courier Editor management team and proud,” she smiled. Cannon County Executive Pett y was selected by the The Tennessee Depart- Mike Gannon to apply for Adams Library Board of ment of Health has been this federal grant. Trustees for the post follow- awarded a Health and “Cannon County is ing the resignation of Tina Human Services Health pleased to be a part of this L. Norris, who has returned Infrastructure Investment important project,” said to Wisconsin. Program grant totaling Gannon. ”Our Cannon The new director hopes $750,000 to build a new County Health Depart- to continue to build on the community health center ment/Community Health excellent programs adopted in Cannon County. Center is an integral part by Mrs. Norris. “We are thrilled to re- of the local medical com- “Tina had started some ceive this funding for the munity, and with this great programs,” Pett y said, new building and appreci- funding the county will but more input is needed ate the support of Cannon have the opportunity to from the community. County Government in improve access to care for “We need to know what this endeavor,” said Can- all residents regardless of our patrons want. We want non County Health Direc- their ability to pay.” to be very involved in the MIKE WEST photos tor Andrea Fox. It’s a 100 percent grant community,” she said. “It Halloween trickery got off to an early start at Adams Library with the magic of sci- Fox worked with the of $750,000 with no match See LIBRARY, Page 9 ence delivered by Professfor Graybeard. Upper Cumberland Re- See GRANT, Page 2 Tink Driver’s eclectic emporium KEN BECK A brief look The Cannon Courier at Bradyville Here at the end of Just a whisper of the vil- Opossum Paw Road lage that thrived here 100 years ago, Bradyville was in tiny Gossburg, once home to two banks, about seven miles four stores, a telephone south of Bradyville switchboard and even a hospital. and three miles “The old rock building, north of Beech the bank, is the only land- Grove, Tink Driver’s mark that stands out,” rec- ollected Robert Bush, of got everything. Woodbury, who grew up Really, everything. here in the 1950s and ’60s This building was constructed in 1925 and became and att ended the Bradyville Union State Bank after the merger of the Bank of Doors, windows, weed- School. Bradyville and the Peoples Bank of Bradyville. Tink eaters, fl ooring, tiles, ply- “I can remember three Driver is in the process of restoring the structure which wood, bathtubs, concrete storehouses opened there also served as a post offi ce and a polling place. blocks, Jacuzzi tubs, vanity in the late ’50s,” he says of tops, cabinets, carpet, ap- businesses run by families early 1930s was the fi rst tography studio in the top pliances, refrigerators, and, KEN BECK photos named Lowe, Jernigan and time it had gasoline for fl oor of it. They moved the yes, even the kitchen sink. Manchester’s energetic Tink Driver off ers an astonish- Rogers. sale. Standard Oil put in gas tanks to Bynum’s Store- And it’s all for sale, and ing array of goods, ranging from building materials to As for its heyday in the tanks in a two-store mer- house which Jim Caff y ran the prices are right. appliances, at low prices at Driver Sales on Opossum 1920s and 1930s, he noted cantile run by the Shelton’s. for a while. Whatever you need for a Paw Road in the Coff ee County community of Gossburg. “It was a large town with “It burned down in 1931, “Dr. Adams lived in house, it’s here somewhere. The retired advertising salesman for “Reader’s Digest” three of four storehouses, and a couple more build- Bradyville for about 11 You just have to fi nd it. has been restoring the handsome 1925 Bradyville bank bank activity and a local ings burned along with years where he practiced “People come from ev- building in Cannon County that was built of limestone switchboard. I guess in the it. Cecil Miller had a pho- See BRADYVILLE, Page 2 See TINK, Page 9 cut from a local rock quarry. See Cannon Blast on Page 7 Your official source for MTSU news MTSUnews.com News, events calendar, weather, video, and more AA/EEO/disability/vet PAGE 2 CANNON COURIER November 4, 2015 CANNON COURIER OBITUARIES William “Bill” Smith showing them around. Through the bank he was able to fund the construction of the pavilion at Dillon Park and Virginia Bailey Banks donate the bank building at Auburntown which became the library. He developed the idea for the Good Ole Days Virginia Bailey Banks born August 05, 1925 and passed a community event that the bank sponsored for 25 years. away October 29, 2015 at her home. He also supported the county schools in any fund raising needs they had. He loved going to basketball games She was preceded in death by her father, Isaac F. Bailey, and made a point to keep up and encourage players and Sr. and her mother, Thelma Robertson Bailey; Husband, students at every opportunity. Bill was honored to be William Kenneth Banks, Sr. and son, William Kenneth placed in the Banker’s Hall of Fame for Banking Excellence Banks, Jr. by the Tennessee Bankers Association a few years after retirement. She is survived by her son, T.J. Banks of Nashville; Brother, Isaac Floyd Bailey, Jr. and his wife, Jerry of Woodbury and Bill was right there to help when his son, Mike, decided to several nieces and nephews.