Gentry-Smith Funeral Home

08/10/2025

Jesteen Brown

Mrs. Jesteen Brown, 86, of Woodbury, Tennessee transitioned to her eternal home on August 4, 2025. She was born in Harleysville, South Carolina on October 2, 1938. She was the daughter of the late Matthew Moore and Estelle Pendarvis Moore. Also preceding her in death are her two sons, Marvin Brown and Greg Brown, three brothers, Matthew Moore, Jr., Herbert Moore and Barney Moore, and by a sister, Dorothy Moore.She leaves to cherish her memory, a son, Jeff (Jocelyn) Brown,...

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08/09/2025

John "Johnny" Joseph Pearson, Jr.

John "Johnny" Joseph Pearson Jr., 42, of Woodbury, Tennessee passed away after an extended illness with family at his side. He was born in Fremont, Ohio on July 15, 1983. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Larry and Virginia Everhart, Carol Eishen and Kenneth Pearson, Sr., and a niece, Nevaeh Pearson.He is survived by his mother and stepfather, Catharina and Wayne Powers, brothers, Matthew Pearson and Alen Pearson, father, John Pearson, Sr., nieces, Isabella and Kristina Pearson, nephews,...

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08/04/2025

Johnny Albert Hoover

Johnny Albert Hoover, born on December 24, 1953, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, passed away on July 17, 2025, at his home after an extended illness. A lifelong resident of Murfreesboro, Johnny was known for his dedication to his work and family, embodying the spirit of hard work and love that characterized his life.Johnny spent many years as a roofer at Joe B. Jackson Construction, showcasing his craftsmanship and commitment to his trade. Following this, he enjoyed a long tenure of about...

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08/01/2025

William "Bill" R. New, III

William R. New, III, 84, of Knoxville, passed away on Thursday, February 27, 2025. Bill was a faithful member and servant of the Fountain City Presbyterian Church. Bill retired from the Knoxville City/County Schools where he was a Teacher, Coach and Administrator.A true Volunteer For Life, Bill served as the Lady Vols Clock Operator, 2001-2020.Bill’s career in education included teaching PE at the Shannondale and Sterchi Elementary schools and teaching Geography and U. S. History at Fulton High School. He...

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07/18/2025

Sandra Diane Brown

Mrs. Sandra Diane Brown, 72 Woodbury TN passed away on July 16, 2025, at her home in Woodbury TN surrounded by her family and best friend. She was born in Murfreesboro TN on April 20, 1953. She was preceded in death by her mother, Elizabeth Spence, her grandmother, Grace Spence Lovvorn, and by an infant baby sister.She is survived by her sons, Danny Ivie and Donnie (Tammy) Ivie both of Woodbury, three granddaughters, Brittani Ivie, Heather Ivie and Emily Ivie,...

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07/18/2025

Patricia Peay

Patricia Ann (Gipple) Peay, 68, of Readyville, TN, was eternally healed on July 15, 2025, after valiantly fighting multiple serious health conditions for years. She was born August 7, 1956, in Mt. Pleasant, IA, the youngest of three siblings. She is preceded in death by her parents, Max and Lucile (Jones) Gipple, and her beloved big brother Donald Gipple.Pat is survived by her devoted husband of 44 years, Robert; two daughters, Rachel (Kyle Cornett) and Katie (Manny Santana); and her...

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07/18/2025

Ken Curtis

Ken Curtis, 59, of Woodbury passed away unexpectedly on July 14, 2025, in Smithville, Tennessee. He was born in Woodbury, Tennessee on September 1, 1965. He was preceded in death by his parents, James Douglas Curtis and Helen Talma Smith Curtis.He is survived by his son, Gage (Ishia) Curtis of Christiana and daughter, Taylor (Jeremy)Curlee of Shelbyville, twin brothers, Eddie (Yvonne) Curtis and Teddy Curtis both of Woodbury, sisters, Doris Curtis of Woodbury, Carolyn Thomas, and Talma Mosley both of...

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07/12/2025

Joyce Higgins Alexander

Joyce Higgins Alexander peacefully departed this life on July 11, 2025, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Born on December 21, 1942, in Woodbury, Tennessee, Joyce brightened the lives of those around her with her vibrant spirit.Visitation to celebrate Joyce’s life will be held on July 15, 2025, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at Gentry-Smith Funeral Home. A graveside service will follow at Riverside Garden at 2:00 PM. Share memories and condolences at www.gentrysmithfuneralhome.com. Gentry-Smith Funeral Home, 303 Murfreesboro Rd. Woodbury, TN...

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07/09/2025

After you figure out which style, shape, and size of monument you want, it is time to start thinking about the design. Some aspects of the design seem obvious, like your loved one's name, date of birth, and date of death. However, you should also think about if you want your loved one's middle name listed or abbreviated, if you want your loved one's maiden name listed, and if there are any nicknames that would be important to include on the monument. Along with the name and dates, you may opt to have an inscription. This could be a short Bible verse, quote, or descriptor of your loved one.

Outside of the lettering, there is actual design work. This can include anything from floral and religious emblems to emblems based around pets, hobbies, interests, occupations, and civic organizations. On granite monuments, this would also include whether or not you would like paneling around the lettering. Paneling generally removes the polish from the granite to "frost" around the lettering and help it stand out more on the face of the monument. Some families prefer not to do this because removing the polish exposes the pores in the granite and can increase the likelihood of mold and mildew growing on those areas. Ultimately, it is a personal preference, but these are all considerations you need to take when selecting what you want put on the monument.

One great way to see what you like and don't like is to look at monuments already in the cemetery. You'll most likely see a variety of designs that will give you a good foundation to start working toward a monument that will honor and commemorate your loved one.

07/07/2025

07/02/2025

The summer is a time when many people start thinking about ordering a monument for a loved one. Decoration days, better weather, and a combination of other factors get people motivated, but there can be several considerations to take when deciding what monument to order for your loved one.

First, it is good to come into the ordering process with an idea in mind of type of monument you want. This would include the shape, style, and size of the monument. Here are some questions to get you on track to figuring out how to ask for quotes:

Do you prefer a flat (flush with the ground) or upright monument?

Do you prefer something traditional or custom? For a flat marker, a rectangle is the most common shape, but you can also do something less common, like an oval. For an upright, the serpentine top (slight arch in the middle) is going to be the most common shape, but you can also do a flat-top (square), wing (off-set serpentine top), heart, oval, angel, diamond, obelisk, or a variety of other options. The more shaping that is involved, the more cost can be expected.

Do you prefer granite or bronze materials? Some cemeteries have regulations on this (which we will get into more in a couple of weeks), but you may have a personal preference on whether a bronze plaque is used for the lettering and design work or the design work is sandblasted/laser etched into the face of the granite.

Do you prefer a common color of granite or something more exotic? Gray and black granite are probably the most common colors in Tennessee, but you can also get mahogany, red, blue, pink, and several other colors of the rainbow in various shades. Again, the more custom the color, the higher the cost.

Do you prefer a standard size or something that is going to stand out? Some families opt to do a larger or smaller monument based on surrounding monuments in the cemetery. Generally, this is to make the size match other family stones. Other families opt to do larger stones based on the location of their loved one in the cemetery. Further back? A taller stone may make your loved one easier to find or see from the road.

Asking yourself these five questions will start you in the right direction to figuring out what you want and being able to ask for quotes.