Obit – David (Bee) Rich
Bro. David (Bee) Rich age 88, s lifetime farmer of the Nickajack Community, entered his long prepared for rest in eternity at 9:23 p.m. Thursday evening, Thanksgiving Day, surrounded by his family who were present to lovingly say goodbye to a husband, father, grandfather and great and great-great grandfather. He was pronounced deceased at 11:00 p.m. November 27, 2025 by Gentiva Hospice of Livingston.
Funeral services from the Carthage Chapel of Sanderson Funeral Home were conducted by Bro. Richard Starnes on Sunday afternoon November 30th at 3 p.m. Two of his grandsons, Bro. Josh Myers and Bro. James Huffman eulogized a great gentleman. Interment followed in the Rich family lot at the Pleasant Shade Cemetery with two of the nephews, Bro. Jackie Rich and Bro. John Rich doing the benediction and committal service.
He was the second of six children born to the late Joseph Turney Rich who died February 28, 1980 at the age of 79 and Maggie Lee Taylor Rich who died February 12, 1996 at the age of 85 and was born David Turney Rich in the Pleasant Shade Community on July 1, 1937.
His oldest brother, Smith and Macon County forester, Joseph Taylor (Joe) Rich, died at the age of 86 on April 14, 2022 and a sister, Dollie Rich Adams, who died December 23, 2016 at the age of 77.
Other family members preceding in death were sisters-in-law, Melba Brooks Rich who died April, 18, 2020 at the age of 79, Ronda Crotty Rich who died November 24, 2024 at the age of 76, brother-in-law Jesse Adams who died July 27, 2025.
Bro. Rich was a 1955 graduate at Smith County High School where he majored in agriculture, a class he participated in all four years and his senior year served as secretary.
His freshman year he was a member of the music club.
It was stated of him in the “55 ‘Owl’ yearbook, “Silence gives consent”.
At the home of the Pleasant Shade Community Cumberland Presbyterian pastor, Eld. J. J. Pace, he was united in marriage on April 6, 1958 to Monroe, Louisiana native and Eld. Pace’s daughter Almanette Pace.
Bro. and Mrs. Rich were saddened by the loss of a son, David Criag Rich, who departed this life at the age of 52 on February 18, 2015 and at the loss of Craig’s wife, Lisa Rene Harris Rich who died at the age of 61 on June 18, 2024.
In addition to his life as a farmer he drove a Smith County School bus for about ten years.
A life dedicated to the Lord’s work on earth, Bro. Rich was pastor of the Pleasant Shade Upper Cumberland Presbyterian Church briefly before attending Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina in 1974. After graduating BJU, he moved back to Smith County and founded the Emmanuel Bible Church in the Riddleton Community, currently Grace Baptist Church and where he was the longtime pastor.
Surviving in addition to his wife Almanette of almost sixty-eight years are their four children, Carolyn Rich York and husband Ricky of the Monoville Community, Daniel Rich and partner Willia Hire of the Scanty Branch Community, Paul Rich, Bro. Jason Rich and wife Kim Green Rich all of the Nickajack Community; Grandchildren, Heather Reeder and husband John, Nikki Barker and husband Ryan, Christen Todd and husband Patrick, Cody Rich and wife Cammie, Jessica Rich, Ashlynne Myers and husband Josh, Beth Adkins and husband Levi,
Faith Huffman and husband James, Cheyene Ruiz, Joshua Rich and wife Emily, Jaily Rich and Jailynne Rich, great-grandchildren, Maggie Plant and husband Aaron, Ava Barker, Ella Barker, Oaklee Barker, Thea Barker, Zach Winnett and wife Kami, Brittany Winnett, Tyler Jones and wife Kayla, Kayla Jones, Noah, Nora, Emmy, Elisha, Eloise, Lebron, and Layne Rich, Lucas, Ray, and Turney Myers, Everleigh, Lyndy, Ember and Lila Adkins, Spurgeon and Maylee Huffman, Rylan, Zaiden and Kayson Ruiz, Autumn & Sierra Myers; great-great-grandchildren, Emery and Jackson Plant, Emma Grisham, Kamryn and Waylon Winnett, Tyler Jr. Jones, Tatum, Immanuel, Arayah, and Kaizlen Jones and the four family caregivers, Tiff, Pat, A, and Tara.
The Rich family requests memorials to either the Pleasant Shade Cemetery mowing fund or the Grace Baptist Church in the Riddleton Community.
SANDERSON of CARTHAGE
