George H. Cox, Jr.

age 76, of Gallatin, passed away Friday, May 11, 2012.  Funeral service was Saturday, May 12 at 12 p.m. from the chapel of Family Heritage Funeral Home with Brother David Schreiner and Trey Judd officiating.  Interment followed in Sumner Memorial Gardens with Kevin Carnes, Justin Carnes, Winston Gill, Todd Gill, Rob Cox, Rodney McCormick, Garrett Dixon, Jr. and Eddie Freeman serving as pallbearers.  Honorary pallbearers were Dr. Joe David Cox, John Cox, Robert Cox, Ed Oldham, Robert Gill, John Proctor and Richard McClanahan. Mr. Cox was born December 23, 1935 in Hot Springs, AR, son of the late George H. Cox, Sr. and Leona Hensley Cox. He is survived by wife, Janice “Jan” Cox of Gallatin; son, George W. Cox (Sonya) of Mt. Juliet; daughter, Susan Carnes (Kevin); brother, Robert E. Cox (Felicia); sister, Gwen Cox Dixon all of Gallatin; grandchildren, Justin Carnes, Sarah Carnes and Katy Cox. Mr. Cox was owner of Cox Realtors. In later years, Parks Realty and Cox Realtors merged as Parks Realty. He served as past president of the Sumner Association of Realtors and was a member of Gallatin Rotary Club. Memorials may be to American Lung Association, One Vantage Way, Ste D-220 Nashville, TN  37228.  Online condolences may be submitted at familyheritagefh.com.

Stephen “Stevie” Deering

age 52, of Gallatin, passed away Sunday, May 13, 2012. Graveside service is today, Wednesday, May 16, at 11 a.m. from Sumner Memorial Gardens with Brother Melvin Link officiating. Richard Tuttle, Ron Key, Bobby Durham Jr., Jimmy Templeton, Billy Deering, and Ricky Templeton are serving as pallbearers. Stevie was born February 25, 1960 in Sumner County. He is preceded in death by his father, Leon Deering and grandparents, Leslie and Rena Deering and Harris and Christine Durham. He is survived by his mother, Jean Rittenberry (Bud); stepmother Barbara Deering; brother Michael Deering (Tina) all of Gallatin; along with several  aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews.

 Genevieve Smoczynski Bryant

age 85, of Lecanto, FL passed away Wednesday, May 9, 2012. Funeral Mass was Tuesday, May 15 at 11 a.m. from St. John Vianney Catholic Church with Father Stephen Gideon presiding. Burial followed in Siloam Cemetery. Mrs. Bryant was born on January 2, 1927 in Chicago, IL, daughter of the late Andrew and Anna Wodziz. In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her first husband Dominic Smoczynski. She is survived by her husband, William J. Bryant of Beverly Hills, FL; son, Robert D. Smoczynski of Beverly Hills, FL; daughter, Bonnie Jean Wendland of Butternut, WI; sister, Catherine Smoczynski of Aurora, IL; two stepsons, John Bryant of Miami, FL and Dennis Bryant of San Marcos, CA; three stepdaughters, Patricia Webb Rockingham, NC, Dianne Bryant of Homestead, FL and Susan Bryant Smoczynski of Beverly Hills, FL; several grandchildren and great grandchildren. Online condolences may be submitted at alexanderfh.info.  Arrangements by Alexander Funeral Home.

Joan Louise (Zellem) Zerfoss

age 79, died May 11, 2012, with family and friends by her side at Sarah Reed Retirement Center. Undying are the memories of her positive, "never quit" attitude, her friendliness to all, and her devotion to family. She was the youngest daughter of Bessie (Baba) and Theodore Zellem's 12 children, born on July 7, 1932 in Listie, near Somerset, Pa. She graduated as her high school valedictorian and married Eugene E. Zerfoss. Joan was a writer for the Somerset American and authored an autobiography, "Living with Our Genes." She also worked for the Meadville Tribune, the Girl Scout office in Meadville, and the Orange County Health Department, from which she retired at age 69. Despite a three-year battle with ovarian cancer, she lived independently, most recently in Gallatin, where she worked part-time in a senior center until just a few months before her passing. She loved music and played trumpet and organ. She was preceded in death by her husband, Eugene E. Zerfoss; and her granddaughter, Chelsey Joanne O'Neill; also her siblings, Mike Zellem, Mary Mackanych, Anna Pritts, Nick Zellem, Lucy Bedzyk, Steve Zellem, and Theodore Zellem. Joan is survived by five children: Judy McFadden of Andover, Mass., Nancy O'Neill of Erie, Eugene Zerfoss, Jr. of Orlando, Fla., Atty. Jill (Robert) Grim of Hendersonville and Melody (Michael) Gaeta of Boston, Mass.; grandchildren: Brady, Casey, Judy, and Shannon O'Neill of Erie and Alex and Brian Grim of Hendersonville; a great-granddaughter Sophia Munzi; and surviving siblings: Rose Dofner, George Zellem, Dan Zellem, and Paul Zellem. A service was held Wednesday, May 16 at 10 a.m. at Brugger Funeral Homes & Crematory, 1595 West 38th Street, Erie, PA with Reverend Lee Pomeroy of Summit United Methodist Church officiating. Burial followed in Erie Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the John Kanzius Research Foundation, 130 West 8th Street, Erie, PA 16501 or the LECOM Scholarship Fund, 1858 West Grandview, Erie, PA 16509. Condolences at bruggerfuneralhomes.com.

Lawrence Allen Brooks

passed away on May 11, 2012 at age 61. The graveside service, with military honors, is 1 p.m. Thursday, May 17, 2012 at Nashville National Cemetery. Survivors include brother, Harold B. Brooks, Jr., close friends Vann Hall and the Hall family and Steven Lee and the extended family of Harold and Roberta Brooks. He is preceded in death by parents, Harold B. and Roberta L. Lawrence Brooks, Sr.  Sellars Funeral Home, 313 W. Baddour Pkwy, Lebanon TN, 615.444.9393.  Obits 615.758.8818.