OBIT: Alyene Shoulders

Mrs. Alyene Watson Shoulders, age 90, of Carthage died at 6:56 a.m. Saturday morning, July 25, 2020, at the Smith County Health and Rehabilitation Center in Carthage where she had been cared for since April 24, 2015. At the time of her death she was under the care of HighPoint Hospice.

Her longtime pastor, Eld. James Thomas Gibbs, assisted by Bro. Jackie Dillehay officiated at the Wednesday afternoon, July 29th, funeral services. Following the 1 p.m. chapel services burial was beside her husband in the Pole Beasley Cemetery in the Graveltown community with her present pastor, Eld. Kenny Hensley, officiating.

Born Arra Alyene Watson in Pleasant Shade on August 14, 1929, she was one of seven children and the only daughter and the sixth of seven children born to the late Willie Lee Watson, who died at the age of 73 on November 8, 1964, and Annie Ethel Dickerson Watson, who died at the age of 79 on July 11, 1982.

She was preceded in death by a daughter, Sherry Alyene Watson Dyer, who died at the age of 65 on August 30, 2018, and by a grandson, Derek Anthony Harper, who died at the Alive Hospice Residence in Nashville at the age of 28 on October 19, 2012 with complications from his liver transplant.

Also preceding her in death were five brothers: Samuel Lester Watson, who died March 22, 1943 at the age of 22, Vestal Lee Watson, who died June 3, 1983 at the age of 64, Gayle J. Watson, who died February 20, 2002 at the age of 78, Carl Aberdeen Watson, who died November 24, 2012 at the age of 85, and William Clester Watson, who died November 30, 2012 at the age of 90.

In Ringgold, Georgia on June 25, 1949 she was united in marriage to Graveltown community native Kenneth Giddeon Shoulders, who preceded her in death at the age of 55 on May 2, 1985, following only thirty five years of marriage.

Mrs. Shoulders was saved at an early age and at the time of her death was a member of the Mt. Tabor Missionary Baptist Church at Pleasant Shade.

She was first employed at the Carthage Shirt Corporation and later at the W. E. Stephens Manufacturing Co. in Carthage and the joy of her life was the years she spent baby-sitting many children.

Surviving are three children, Roger Shoulders and wife, Deanna Green Shoulders, of the Turkey Creek community, Patricia Shoulders Oliver and husband, Dan, of the Pleasant Shade community, Tammy Shoulders Harper of Carthage; brother, E. L. Watson and wife, Betty Woodard Watson, of the Riddleton community; two sisters-in-law, Martha Watson of White House and Juanita Watson of Gallatin; five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

The Shoulders family request memorials to the Pole Beasley Cemetery Mowing Fund.

SANDERSON of CARTHAGE