Frances Frye Brookshire, 89, of Elizabethton, passed away on Friday, July 14, 2017, following a lengthy illness.
She was born July 14, 1928 in Florence, Ala., to the late John Dewey Frye Sr. and Ruby Ethel Smith Frye. She had lived in Elizabethton since the early 1940s.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 67 years, Elmer Gordon Brookshire Sr.; sister, Margaret White; brother, John Dewey Frye Jr.; and son-in-law, Bill Sheppard.
Mrs. Brookshire was a member of East Side Baptist Church. She graduated from Fontana School, Fontana, N.C., one of four graduates, and was proud to be called a “dam” kid, attending many school reunions there. She was also a graduate of Steed Business College. She worked at Carter County Motor Company, U.S. Department of Agriculture as a crop insurance representative, and was owner of Branum Insurance until her retirement. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.
She is survived by her children, Dottie Brookshire, Johnson City, Sharon Sheppard and Rebecca Brookshire, both of Elizabethton, and John (Kathy) Brookshire, Mountain City; grandchildren, Zachary (Laura) Sheppard and Amanda Sheppard, and great-granddaughter, Penelope Sheppard, all of Elizabethton; an “adopted” daughter, Dr. Julia Decker and children, Kristina (Abel) Cusatti, Renee (Tim) Moore and Kimberly (Brent) McNeal and their children; step-son, Gordon (Barbara) Brookshire Jr., Bluff City, and their families; nieces, Cheryl White Fisher, Brenda White Abrams-Hines and Lydia Wilson; nephew, Richard White; and her special dog, Roco.
The family would like to say a special “Thank You” to her caregivers, Doris, Earlene, Elaine, Evelyn, Frieda, Lois, Minda, Patsy and Rozina; to Dr. Jonathan Bremer and Dr. Vivian Clark and the staff of Pine Ridge Care Center.
Funeral services will be conducted at 7 p.m. Monday, July 17, at Memorial Funeral Chapel with Dr. Gale Hartley and Wilkie Brookshire officiating. The Eulogy will be given by her son, John. Music will be under the direction of John Brookshire. The graveside service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 18, at Brookshire Cemetery (Campbell Road), Mountain City. Active pallbearers will be John Brookshire, Zachary Sheppard, Jewel Williams, Doug Hinshaw, Roby Phillippi and George Lowe. Honorary pallbearers will be Porter Stout and friends from East Side Baptist Church. The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. Friends may call at the home of a daughter, Sharon Sheppard, Elizabethton, at other times. In lieu of flowers, the family request donations to Brookshire Cemetery, % Sharon Sheppard, 1012 Nave Street, Elizabethton, TN 37643 or the Alzheimer’s Tennessee, 3212 Hanover Road, Suite 5, Johnson City, TN 37604. Family and friends will assemble at the funeral home at 9:45 a.m. Tuesday to go to the cemetery. Condolences may be sent to the family at our website at www.memorialfcelizabethton.com.
Memorial Funeral Chapel is serving the Brookshire family.