>From The Knoxville News Sentinel 8 Aug 2003 COLE, ALVA RUTH STOOKSBURY - age 72, of Clinton, ============================================ COLE, ALVA RUTH STOOKSBURY - age 72, of Clinton, passed away Wednesday, August 6, 2003 at the Methodist Medical Center in Oak Ridge. Ruth was fondly called "Doofie" by her family & many friends. She was born in Anderson County on January 6, 1931 to Handy & Ollie Stooksbury. She always called Anderson County home. Ruth worked for the Bell South Phone Company, Ortec & the Anderson County Clerk's Office. She was a member of First Baptist Church in Clinton most of her life. In recent years she has been a full time wife, grandmother & great-grandmother. She loved politics & continued to be politically active after she retired. Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, Handy & Ollie Stooksbury; brother, Albert Stooksbury; her sisters, Reitha Smith & Mary Nell Carter; and niece, Evelyn Buck. Ruth is survived by her husband, John Cole, Sr. They r ecently celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary. Survivors also include her three children, John Cole, Jr., Johanna Whitley, and Jeffery Cole, all of Clinton; son-in-law, Garry Whitley; daughters- in-law, Carol Cole & Jess Anne Cole; grandchildren, Garry Whitley, Jr., Jessie Fritts, Joey Beams, Johnie Cole, and Dallas Cole; great-grandchild, Cole Fritts; sister, Helen Lane; brother, Everett Stooksbury; special niece, Brenda Holbrook; and many other nieces & nephews. Ruth also had many close friends who were very dear to her. Many of these friends she had since grade school and valued each & every one of them. The family will receive friends from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m., Friday, August 9, 2003, at First Baptist Church in Clinton. The funeral service will follow. Interment will be held 10:00 am, Saturday at Grandview Memorial Gardens. Memorials may be made to the Arthritis Foundation. Holley-Gamble Funeral Home of Clinton in charge. =========================================== SUPPORT OUR TROOPS---FLY THE FLAG "Genealogy is like playing hide and seek. They hide I seek!!! <A HREF="www.byrge.com/genealogy/">www.byrge.com/genealogy/</A> Searching: BYRGE/BUNCH/DAUGHERTY/DUNCAN/KENNEDY/ PATTERSON/PHILLIPS/SEIBER/TACKETT/WARD