Death Certificate state of TN Vital Statistics, Copy in possession of Sherry S. Finchum He died after a series of strokes. He was diagnosed with Senile Dementia.
Social Security Number: 400-07-8853
He had diabetes that he developed later in life, and controlled with his diet.
Birth of children- Certificates in possession of Sherry S. Finchum
He was a farmer.
At one time he was the store manager of a miner's commissary in Yancey, KY. The miner's paid to visit the commissary through script. "Scripting" was a form of payment by the mining company. The boss signed a note that endorsed their purchase of a fixed amount of goods at the commissary.
"Granddaddy was a very spiritual man. I remember seeing him read his Bible every time we visited. He was a deacon at Hannah's Gap Baptist Church in PoGrab, TN. I never saw him angry. He loved his family and especially his grandchildren!! My favorite memories of him are when I climbed into his lap to have him 'scrape' and apple for me, and he would also let me take his knife and clean under his fingernails when he had been working out on the farm." (Sherry Sorrells FINCHUM)
He was called "GreatDaddy" by his great-grandchildren.
"A marriage of interest to their friends was that of Miss Vida Redd and Mr. Leonard Sorrells which was solemnized Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at the home of the bride. The rooms were decorated for the occasion. The wedding music was rendered by Miss Retta Lambert and Mr. W. T. Warren of Fayetteville. Rev. M. J. Taylor of Mulberry officiated. The bride was gowned in blue georgette with harmonizing accessories and carried and arm bouquet. The bride is the beautiful and accomplished daughter of Mr. and Mr. G. L. Redd. Mr. Sorrells holds an important position in Yancey, KY. After the marriage the bridal party went to the home of the groom's parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Sorrells where a wedding dinner awaited them. After a two week's stay they will leave for KY." (The wedding announcement from the local paper.)
Grandmother was a wonderful woman. She was always very patient with her grandchildren, and great- grandchildren. She broke her hip carrying Eric when he was only an infant. She tried to protect him as she lost her balance, and ended up hurting herself. She recovered quickly. She wrote memoirs for her grandchildren about her life growing up. I have a copy of them. She lived to be 92 years old. The last time I saw her, she patted me, and said, "You were my first". She told Brent, "You were also my first". She called Eric "Her sparkling eyes boy." She reminisced with Katie about eating macaroni & cheese and Brown Cows. I will always treasure the memories of hearing her talk about how much she loved her family, and her advice on saving pennies, and a stitch in time saves nine. She saved everything. She gave me a treasured robe that Granddaddy had given her one time for her birthday. She picked it out herself. It was a powder blue polyester with covered buttons and a lace collar. (Sherry Sorrells Finchum)
He played the guitar, sang and yodeled.
"I met Fred at his shop in Gatlinburg. He had a girl who worked for him. He rented the building from the Ogles. He learned the leather trade from George. He might have finished high school in Tazewell, I'm not sure." (Emma Deane)
"Hattie Belle and Fred shelled corn to take to the mill. They got to Roy Chesterson's and he hollared at them to play and sing. He loaned them his guitar. They were late gettin home. They told their parents that the strings fell offf the sacks that had held the corn and they had to pick up each kernel by hand. They explained that was the reason they were late." Relayed to me by: Helen INGLE.
MARRIAGE-SPOUSE-PARENTS: Marriage Bond KY, No 187; 1937 in possession of
Sherry S. FinchumBIRTH-PARENTS: Vital Statistics Birth Certificate KY #48981 1912 in possession of Sherry S. Finchum
DEATH-PARENTS: Death Certificate TN #61-20927 1961 in possession of Sherry S. Finchum
CHILDREN: Court Records- Will in Sevier Co, TN 1961 page 211 in possession of Sherry S. Finchum
He was stationed at Fort Lee, VA in WW II.
He ran a leather shop in Gatlinburg, TN.
He was Mayor of Gatlinburg, TN.
"The last day I saw him, he took Tim and I to the Dari-Delite in Greeneville, TN to get an ice cream cone." (Sherry S. Finchum)
"I went from first grade through high school at Camp Smoky. It was not totally a private school. 5 months were free and Dad paid the rest tuition for the rest of the year. I always knew that as a little girl I was going to Carson Newman" (Emma Deane)
She graduated from Carson Newman College. She taught first grade at Smoky, and one other school she taught all grades one-eight.
She was originally named when a visitor was at her house and heard the children calling her "sister". (Her brothers and sisters were all named after family members, but when she was born, they had used up all the family names.) The visitor told her mother that it was a shame for a two-year old not to have a name. She looked up at the visitor and said,"I do have a name. It is Emma Deane." After that she would no longer answer to "sister". Emma Deane Caton had given her a pair of white Roman sandels and she thought they were beautiful, so she chose to name herself after Emma Deane Caton.
"The church organ was up for sale, so mother gave Laura the money to go and buy it because I was taking piano lessons and needed it to practice." (Emma Deane)
She was called "Nan-Naw" by her granddaughter, Sherry Lynn Sorrells, who could not say Mam-Maw, and it stuck.
She taught school at Phi Beta Phi in Gatlinburg, TN for years. There is a lengthy article on her retirement in records of her granddaughter Sherry S. Finchum.
She passed away during recovery following emergency surgery to repair a hernia in her bowels . Her heart, which had been regulated by a pace-maker for over 10 years, just stopped beating. She had Alzheimer's Disease for many years.
Cause of death: Sepsis, strangulated inguinal hernia
SS#410-68-8261