Warren County resident and native Doris Golden Whitlock, 87, died Aug. 19 at River Park Hospital following a lingering illness.
A member of Arlington Church of Christ, she was the daughter of the late Alaska Elkana and Estella Pryor Golden. She was born Nov. 3, 1926 in the Wayside community of Warren County, where she grew up at Crystal Brook Farm on Golden Lane. She attended Wayside and McMinnville Central High School. Doris worked in Oak Ridge for two years during the development of the atomic bomb. She returned to McMinnville after World War II and on Aug. 17, 1950, she married John Carl “Johnny” Whitlock. She was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, who died Aug. 1, 2011.
She was a homemaker and also worked at Caney Fork Electric, Head Start, Warren County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office, Warren County Court Clerk’s Office, Warren County Water Department, Formfit Rogers Outlet, and Lentz Grocery. She was very active in community clubs and public service. She was a Bible school teacher for Arlington Church of Christ for many years. She was a charter and lifelong member of Hoe and Hope Garden Club. She was also active in the Wayside Home Demonstration Club, the Ladies Auxiliary for Christian Education (LACE), and the Warren County Fair. Doris was known for her love of nature, flower gardening and arranging, needlework, crafts, and family involvement.
She is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, John and Cynthia Whitlock of Knoxville; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Austin Golden of McMinnville and Edwin and Joyce Golden of Tishomingo, Ms.; three sisters and brothers-in-law, Alice Cantrell of Viola, Stella Parker and Paul Grissom, and Nelta Jo and Donald Cantrell, all of McMinnville; brothers-in-law, Newton Gribble of Cookeville and Jimmy Spangler of Murfreesboro; sisters-in-law, Faye Golden Stiles (N.B.) and Louise Whitlock of McMinnville.
In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by two sisters, Pauline Gribble and Henrietta Patton Mabery; two brothers, Arthur and Hubert “Hoss” Golden; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Clarence Patton, B.C.”Bud” Cantrell, J.D. Parker, Donald Mabery, Edwin Whitlock, Lola Golden, Nina Golden, and Nancy Hallene Spangler.
Visitation will be held Friday from 10 a.m. until the funeral. The funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Friday at High’s Chapel with Wayne Cantrell and John Simmons officiating. Graveside service and interment will follow at Mt. View Cemetery. Pall bearers will be her nephews.
Memorial donations may be made to Bibles to Nigeria, c/o Rockliff or Arlington Church of Christ.
Southern Standard
(McMinnville, Tenn.) Aug. 22, 2014