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Melvin Billings, 90
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Smithville resident Melvin Billings, 90, died Jan. 10 at NHC of Smithville.
A member of Mt. Pisgah Free Will Baptist Church, he was a retired minister who pastored several churchs in DeKalb County and surrounding areas. He was the son of the late Ray Vaughn and Clara Felts Billings and was also preceded in death by his wife, Cicil Trapp Billings; grandson, Lynn Tallent; brother, Ernest Billings and sisters, Ellen Hutchins and Odene Prater.
He is survived by daughter and son-in-law, Joyce and Leonard Tallent of Smithville; grandsons, Marty Tallent of Smithville and Ronald and Andrea of McMinnville; great-grandchildren, Brandon and Martelia Tallent of Smithville, Alex and Aaron Tallent of McMinnville; sister, Alama Billings of Smithville; brothers R.V. and Brenda Billings, and Claude Billings, all of Sparta; sister-in-law, Frances Billings of McMinnville; several nieces and nephews.
Services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at Love-Cantrell Funeral Home of Smithville with burial following at DeKalb Cemetery. Visitation begins at 10 a.m. Sunday.
Love-Cantrell Funeral Home of Smithville is in charge of arrangements.
Southern Standard
(McMinnville, Tenn.) Jan. 12, 2014

Thomas Norman Theiss, Sr., 77
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Thomas Norman Theiss, Sr. was born May 24, 1947 and went home to be with Jesus on Friday afternoon, March 28, 2025. He was born and lived in Michigan for 45 years and then moved to McMinnville, Tennessee for the last 32 years.

Tom was preceded in death by his parents, Frederick Donald and Caroline Filipowski Theiss; brother, Donald Theiss and father-in-law and mother-in-law, Robert and Eula Presley.

He leaves to cherish his memory, his wife of 51 years, Glenda Marie Presley Theiss; children, Susan (Mark) Long, Brandy Perez, Cindy Hale, Gwendolyn (Richard) Holt, Tammy Norma Theiss, and Tommy Norman Theiss, Jr.; grandchildren, Sean, Gabriel, Jaylen, Gavin, Tommy Ray, Hannah, and Diane; great-granddaughters, Lea and Luci; sisters, Cheryl (Butch) Galyon, Lorry Cantrell, Debra Prokoff; brother, Larry (Carolyn) Theiss; many sisters-in-laws, brothers-in-laws, nieces and nephews.

Mr. Tom enjoyed fishing, hunting, serving the Lord as well as playing games with the children, cooking and eating wild meat. He really enjoyed his church family at Peoples Pentecostal Church, where he faithfully attended.

Funeral Services will be 1 p.m. Tuesday at Peoples Pentecostal Church with his pastor, Michael Hewell and Jay Young officiating and burial will follow in DeKalb Cemetery. Visitation will be on Sunday 2 p.m. until 7 p.m., Monday 1 p.m. until 7 p.m. and Tuesday 10 a.m. until the time of the service at 1 p.m. al visitation at Peoples Pentecostal Church.

DeKalb Funeral Chapel is honored to care for the Theiss family.