Billy Joe Cothron

View Funeral WebcastBilly Joe Cothron, 76, retired from Nick's Auction, former general foreman for Franklin Decorators, and resident of Sowell Mill Pike, died Thursday, June 18, 2009 at Maury Regional Medical Center.Funeral services were conducted Monday at 1:00 p.m. at Oakes & Nichols with Ronnie Thurman and Doyle Parham officiating. Burial was in Rose Hill Cemetery with military honors provided by Herbert Griffin American Legion Post #19. The Maury County native was the son of the late Christopher Columbus "Lum" Cothron and Mary Virginia Holcomb Cothron. He served in the U. S. Air Force from 1951 - 1952. Mr. Cothron was a member of Herbert Griffin American Legion Post #19, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Fruit of the Vine, was a past Governor of Royal Order of M.O.O.S.E. and member of the Columbia Lodge. Survivors include his wife, Penny Porter Cothron; daughters, Debra Cooper, Sheila Cothron, both of Columbia, and Jan (Marty) Roberts of Culleoka; sons, Donnie Joe (Angela) Cothron, Terry (Libby) Cothron, and Marshall "Pee Wee" (Diane) Cothron, all of Columbia; step-daughters, Lisa (Dale Jennings) Ferrin and Mary Lee (Mark Childress) Ferrin, both of Culleoka; sister, Jewell Cothron Cheek of Columbia; 13 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; 2 step-grandchildren; 2 step great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews; sisters-in-law, Mary Ann Cothron and Jean Cothron; special friends, Pee Wee Johnson, Nancy and George Jones, W. D. Dawson, Mike Pope, and friends at Backstreet Tavern, Wayside Inn, Miss Fran's, Doug's Place, Sports Page, The Sandwich Shop, Tint on Wheels, and Tennessee Amusement. He was preceded in death by sisters, Dorothy Cheatham, Charlotte Lansdowne, Virginia Barnes, Peggy Sue Ballard, and Melba Bower; brothers, Nolan Cothron, Leland Cothron, Dorris Cothron, and Raymond Cothron; step-grandson, Jimmy Ferguson. Active pallbearers are Bart Ballard, Don Osborne, Ronnie Thurman, Leonard "Bubba" Lee, Leonard "Sonny" McNeely, and Howard "Nookie" Potts. Honorary pallbearers include Cliff Millikan, Lester Malugin, Robert Malugin, Jerry Crumley, Larry Crumley, Billy Plant, John Church, Donald Johnson, Randolph "Flash" Thompson, Dean Martin, and Joyce Sugg