LEBANON — Funeral services were held Saturday morning, July 25 at the Ligon & Bobo Funeral Home for Miss Eskew, 94, of Lebanon.

A former librarian and teacher in for over 40 years in Davidson and Wilson Counties, she died July 23, 2009 at Cedars Health Care.

Born September 20, 1914, in Wilson County, she was the daughter of the late John William Eskew Sr. and Fruzie Northern Eskew.  Miss Eskew was a graduate of Cumberland University and a member of the College Hills Church of Christ. 

Services were conducted by Dr. Larry Locke with burial at the Cedar Grove Cemetery.

Survivors include: sister Helen Major of Lebanon and brother Bob Eskew of Donelson.

She was preceded in death by sisters, Frances Eskew, Edna Eskew and Tish Howard; and brothers John William Eskew Jr. and Thomas Eskew.

Ligon & Bobo Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

CHARLIE H. BAIRD, 96

LEBANON -- Funeral services have been set for 11 a.m. Saturday, August 1 at the First United Methodist Church for Mr. Charlie Baird, 96, of Lebanon. A native of Wilson County and a longtime, distinguished member of the Lebanon Lions Club, Mr. Baird passed away Sunday, July 26, 2009.

The family will be receiving friends at Sellars Funeral Home in Lebanon Friday, July 31 between the hours of 4-8 p.m. Visitation at the church on Saturday will begin at 10 a.m.

An honors graduate of Lebanon High School, he grew up on a farm in Cedars of Lebanon and was part of the survey crew that established the present day state park.

Retired since 1981 as General Manager and Vice-President of the Lebanon Woolen Mills, Mr. Baird started at the Mill in the shipping department fresh out of Lebanon High.

LEBANON – Funeral services have been scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday, July 26 at the Sellars Funeral Home on the Baddour Parkway for Mrs. Judkins, 65, of Watertown. A nurse in the US Army during the Vietnam era and later employed as a plant tech at Fortune Plastics, she passed away July 23, 2009.

The family will be receiving friends Saturday, July 25 between the hours of 2-8 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. until the funeral. Services will be conducted by Brother Gary Miller and Brother Howl Todd. Interment will follow in Watertown’s Bates Cemetery.

Survivors include: her husband of 25 years Jerry Judkins; children Wendy (Mike) McManus, Rachel Witt, Vincent Basey and Rebecca (James) Elliott.

Also surviving are siblings Lorie (Danny) Sferruzzi, Dusty (Tina) Ashton and Charlie Moorenovich; grandchildren Michael Phares, Joseph Heflin, Savannah Heflin, Valorie Heflin, Alisha Bates, Josh Witt and Ashley Witt; great-grandchildren Cherish Phares, Gabriel Phares and Makayle Gomez.

Family and friends will serve as pallbearers.

She is preceded in death by parents James and Ruth Lolley Coperale and son-in-law Herman Witt.

Arrangements by Sellars Funeral Home, 313 W. Baddour Pkwy, Lebanon.

LEBANON — Memorial services will be held 1 p.m. Saturday, July 25 at the First Presbyterian Church, 304 W. Main St., for the late Dr. G. Frank Burns, 87.

Author, educator, local historian and journalist, Dr. G. Frank Burns died Tuesday, July 14, 2009 at the Hearthstone Assisted Living Center in Garland, Texas. Dr. Burns, a longtime editorial contributor to The Wilson Post, had been in poor health for the past few months.

A former college professor at Cumberland University and Tennessee Tech, he held both an undergraduate and a law degree from Cumberland. He also earned a Ph.D. from Vanderbilt University; a master’s degree from Nashville’s George Peabody College and studied at Oxford University, England.

Considered by many to be the most reliable source of Wilson County history, Dr. Burns authored the book "Somewhere in Tennessee / The Cumberland in Wartime, 1940-1947" as well as several other historical works including the updated "History of Wilson County".

He also wrote a detailed account of Cumberland’s infamous 222-0 football loss to Georgia Tech, based on newspaper and other printed reports.

Dr. Burns is credited with having named the cluster of restored buildings at the James E. Ward Agricultural Center "Fiddler’s Grove".

He served for 11 years (1977-1987) as Wilson County Historian and several years as Archivist at Cumberland’s Vise Library.

His journalism career included stints as a correspondent with both the Nashville Banner and the Tennessean and as acting editor and associate editor of the Lebanon Democrat.

Following retirement, Dr. Burns taught several non-credit courses at Cumberland dealing with the supernatural, local folk tales and history and even one on unidentified flying objects in Wilson County.

He is preceded in death by his late wife Johnnie Burns.

During Dr. Burns’ final months he was blessed to receive care and friendship from Rev. Gene Wisdom of the First United Methodist Church of Garland, Texas.

Anyone wishing to make a memorial gift should consider giving to the First United Methodist Church of Garland, 801 W. Avenue B, Garland, TX 75040, or to the First Presbyterian Church of Lebanon, where Dr. Burns was a member for many years.

WATERTOWN — A memorial service has been scheduled for 4 p.m. Saturday, July 25 at the Hunter Funeral Home for Mr. Fisher, 37, of Smithville. Born in Wilson County and a former resident of Watertown, he died July 21, 2009 at his residence.

Services will be conducted by John Hunt.

Survivors include: mother Mamie Lou Fisher of Smithville and brothers Troy, Timmy, Tracy and Tyrone Fisher — all of Nashville as well as several aunts, uncles and cousins. He is preceded in death by his father Donald Neil Fisher.

Hunter Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.