Appeared in Weakley County Press, Martin, TN, on 1 Sep 2004
3:47:09 PM Tuesday, August 31, 2004
Della Hannings Peery
Mrs. Della Lavern Hannings Peery, 99, of Martin, died August 30, 2004, at VanAyer Manor Nursing Home in Martin.
Services will be 2 p.m. Wednesday at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, where she was a member, with the Rev. Ben Wilkes and the Rev. David Freeman officiating. Burial will be in the Cates Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 5-8 this evening at Murphy Funeral Home in Martin. Remains will be taken to Pleasant Hill Baptist Church Wednesday at 11 for visitation until service time.
Steve Mansfield, Benjamin Wilkes, Mackey Rhodes, Joe Nash, Duane Merritt and Charles Connell will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be Larry Fowler, Keith Fowler, Gerald Merritt, Chris Merritt, Tommy Mount, Ray Melendez, Billy Cavin, Gary Mansfield, Joe Lee, Maxel Merritt, Bobby Hundley, Max Lee and Peter Wilkes.
Mrs. Peery was born Jan. 28, 1905, in Weakley County near Martin, the daughter of the late Brack and Paris Taylor Hannings. She and her brother, Halbert Hannings attended school at Central Academy, a country school. He died at age 40.
At age 17 she married Walter Calvin Peery, age 18, a schoolmate. They were married for 67 years before his death in 1989. They both retired from the housekeeping department of Volunteer Hospital. She was also a volunteer Gray Lady at the hospital for many years.
She was a correspondent for the Weakley County Press for over 50 years, writing the news for Martin Route One. She lived in her country home until age 93, mowing her yard, caring for her garden, driving her car, taking care of her business and attending Pleasant Hill Baptist Church twice each Sunday. She prepared Christmas Eve supper each year for her family of 15.
After a stroke at age 93, she lived with her daughter, Mrs Dolores Mansfield of Martin, then Martin Retirement Home, Greenbrier Meadows and VanAyer Manor. She lived a very useful life -- always helping others.
Survivors include her daughter and son-in-law, Dolores and Seymour Mansfield; three grandchildren, Steve Mansfield (Marilyn) of Little Rock, Ark., Kay Wilkes (Ben) of Union City and Lisa Spaulding of Collierville; and six great-grandchildren, Abbey Wilkes, Benjamin Wilkes, Bonnie Wilkes, Peter Wilkes, Meredith Mansfield and Camille Spaulding.