Deanda Marie George
by: Dwayne PageApr 16, 2025
Deanda Marie George age 63, of McMinnville passed away Tuesday morning April 15, 2025, at her residence. She was born July 13, 1961, to her father, the late Floyd George. In addition to her father, she was preceded in death by sisters, Shelia Adamson, Carolyn Colegrove and Jackie Burton; nephew, B. J. Burton; aunt, Cindy Travis; uncle, Timmy George. Ms. George was a Baptist and worked as a cashier at convenient stores. She is survived by children, Charlotte Reeder (Tony Petty) of Smithville, Tina Reeder of McMinnville; soulmate, David Smith of McMinnville; grandchildren, Jennifer Barnes (Luis Vargas), Hunter Barnes, Austin and Justin Myers, Tiffany and Katie West, Megan King, Haley Rutledge (Jagger McCormick); great-grandchildren, Serenity Turner, Colson King, Faylynn King, Kaizyn McCormick; uncle Wayne (Lynn) George of Ashland City; sister Patricia Smith of Murfreesboro. Graveside service and internment will be held 4 PM Thursday April 17, 2025, at DeKalb Cemetery with Bro. Michael Hale officiating. No visitation or services will be held at the funeral home. Family and friends will meet at DeKalb Cemetery at 4 PM for graveside service. The family ask that donations be made to DeKalb Funeral Chapel to help with funeral expenses. DeKalb Funeral Chapel is honored to care for the George family
David Edward, (Dave) Darrah
by: Dwayne PageApr 14, 2025
David Edward, (Dave) Darrah, 88, was born in Marietta, Ohio, on December 10, 1936, to
his parents, George William and Geneva Dye Darrah and died peacefully on April 1, 2025, at the Webb House in Smithville, Tennessee. He was a faithful member of the Smithville Church of Christ.
Dave graduated from Marietta High School in 1954, and in subsequent years attended
Harding College in Searcy, Arkansas, and Ohio State University. After changing majors several times and still being indecisive about a career choice, he dropped out and went to work as a lineman for Bell Telephone while he waited to be called for the draft. It was his three years in the Army that Dave attributed as finally giving his life direction. As a non-combatant, he was assigned to the medical corps–and found his calling. He was stationed at a military hospital at
Canal Zone, Panama. There, one of his assignments was Vaccinating the indigenous Cuna Indians in the San Blas Islands. The two years in Panama and an additional year at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C., fixed his determination to pursue a career as a medical missionary. Church had always played a large part in his life and this seemed like a perfect fit.
In 1969 Dave fulfilled one of his dreams and graduated from the University of Tennessee
Medical School in Memphis. Another dream was soon to be fulfilled. As a kid, Dave had always been fascinated by planes and flying. He spent hours building model planes and even trying to assemble motorized models. He longed to be able to fly a real plane. After completing his medical internship in Memphis, Dave worked briefly for Planned Parenthood and serendipitously met a classmate who was also a flight instructor. Thus, he learned to fly and got his private pilot’s license, a hobby he enjoyed for many years.
After completing his residency in family practice at the University of Tennessee in
Knoxville, he joined a medical group in Gallatin and worked there until he opened his own
medical office in Alexandria in 1977. There he practiced for the next 25 years. He was a typical country doctor, delivering babies and making house calls. It was during the years in Alexandria that another of his goals came to fruition–the goal of doing medical missions.
Prophetically, his first mission was to Panama where he had started out as an army medic so many years before.
He influenced the first Church of Christ medical mission to the San Blas Islands. Through the years, Dave was sometimes accompanied on his mission trips by his entire family, including his grandchildren. For the next forty years he made multiple mission trips to more than 25 countries.
Although he was a zealous worker wherever he served, Hope for Haiti’s Children was the mission closest to his heart.
Dave was interested in civic affairs and served on the Smithville Airport Board as well as the Ascension Saint Thomas DeKalb Hospital board. He was a past President of the Tennessee Academy of Family Physicians. He loved the Smithville Fiddlers Jamboree, going to the lake, and took up scuba diving after he retired. One of his greatest joys was spending time with his family and friends. He especially enjoyed watching his children and grandchildren participate in events from the Pinewood Derby to rodeo to basketball to soccer to family scuba diving trips.
In addition to his parents Dave was predeceased by his brother, Joseph William Darrah
of Smithville. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Marsha Young Darrah and his daughters, Jane (Rob) Ramsey and Kate (Billy) Miller and grandchildren Jake and Darrah Ramsey and Bill and Cameron Miller all of Smithville. He is also survived by sister-in-law, Carol Darrah of Cookeville and by several nieces, nephews and cousins.
The family is grateful to Dr. Hugh Don Cripps and his staff and Lora Webb and staff of
the Webb House and the Gentiva Hospice staff for the wonderful care they gave Dave during his last year.
From the time he was a medical student, Dave determined that upon his death he wanted his body to be donated to the University of Tennessee Medical School for the use of
future medical students.
Interment in Smithville Town Cemetery will occur at a later date. A memorial service will take place at Love-Cantrell Funeral Home on Saturday, April 12th at 6pm.
The family will receive visitors from 4pm until the time of the service. Memorials may be made to Hope for Haiti’s Children, PO Box 62328 Cincinnati, OH 45262-0328 or the Smithville Town Cemetery Association, 300 East Main Street, Smithville TN 37166.
Love-Cantrell Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Glenda Ruth Turnbill
by: Dwayne PageApr 14, 2025
Glenda Ruth Turnbill, aged 80, of Smithville, passed away peacefully on Saturday, April 5, 2025, at her daughter’s residence. Born on January 26, 1945, in Shamrock, Texas, she was the daughter of the late Isaac and Ethel Cummings. Glenda was self-employed and a member of the Smithville Church of Christ.
She is survived by her children, Valorie Kadowaki of Murfreesboro and Melvin Turnbill of Dowelltown, and granddaughter, Keira Kadowaki of Murfreesboro. She also leaves behind her siblings, Don (Betty) Cummings of Texas, Linda Sue (Jeff) Shattuck of South Carolina, and Charles Self of New Mexico, along with several nieces, nephews, and cousins.
In addition to her parents, Glenda was preceded in death by her husband, Tommy Turnbill, and her siblings, Edward Cummings, Delwanda Tate, Stanley Cummings, Dorothy Taylor, Virginia Irving, Imma Kuala, Gloria Bruce, Paul Gordon Cummings, and Joey Phibrick.
A memorial service to honor Glenda’s life will be held on Tuesday, April 7, at 1pm at Love-Cantrell Funeral Home, with Bro. Dan Gulley officiating. Family and friends are invited to gather for visitation from noon until the time of the service at 1.
Love-Cantrell Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.