John Bilbrey

Funeral services for Mr. John Carson Bilbrey, age 93 of Cookeville, will be held Wednesday, November 4, 2020 at 11:00 am in the Cookeville Chapel of Hooper Huddleston & Horner Funeral Home. Pastors Ed Malone and Keith Tosh will officiate. Interment, with Military Honors will follow in Green Hill Cemetery in Alpine, TN. His family will receive friends Tuesday from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM and again Wednesday from 9:00 a.m. until service time at the funeral home. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, social distancing measures will be in place. Mr. Bilbrey died Saturday October 31, 2020 at his residence. He was born Thursday July 28, 1927 in Overton County, TN to the late Walter Ezra and Lucy Crabtree Bilbrey. He attended school in Overton County and enlisted in the military and served his country as a member of the United States Navy. Following his service, John and his wife Norma moved to Chicago where he served his sign painting apprenticeship. He moved back to Cookeville in 1953 and worked for Adams Sign Co. until founding Bilbrey Sign Co. Inc. in 1960. In the late 1960's, he designed the TTU logo which is still being used today. Mr. Bilbrey designed, installed, and maintained many landmark signs in Cookeville, including, to name a few, Gunnels Florist (his first sign), Maddux Hardware, Spring Street Market, Southern Motel, Putnam Co. Drive In, Laverne & Janet's and Bank of Putnam County. He also maintained the neon on the iconic Cream City sign. He was the first sign company in the Southeast to install the electronic message board for the First National Bank of Jefferson Ave. He had national contracts that he held until his retirement, with Goody's, Fina, Budweiser, Pepsi, Coca Cola and others. He sold the business and retired in 1995 to donate more time to his passion of playing golf. Mr. Bilbrey was a former Justice of the Peace (now known as County Commissioners) and served in the Putnam Co. Sheriffs Department's Auxillary. He was a 3rd Degree Mason of the Overton County Lodge. He was a former longtime member and deacon at West View Baptist Church and most recently attended Bangham Heights Baptist Church. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Norma Ringley Bilbrey; grandchild, Jason Goolsby; brothers, James, Clyde, Ray, Joe and Billy Bilbrey; and sisters, Pauline Palmer and Mertie Lessig. Mr. Bilbrey is survived by son, Harold and wife Peggy Bilbrey; daughters, Sandy Martin and husband Jim and Sharon Bryant and husband Danny, all of Cookeville; grandchildren, Shannon (Tony) Whitson, John A. (Candace) Bilbrey, Aston (Robert) Miles, Angela (John) Wheeless and David (Jennifer) Bryant; great grandchildren, Brandon Lee, Jason Lee, John Alex Bilbrey, (Miss) Carson Miles and Lila Miles; Makenzi Key, Kallie Lynne Bryant and Isaac Bryant; and by great great grandchild, Hudson Key; and several nieces and nephews. Pallbearers will be John A. Bilbrey, John Alex Bilbrey, David Bryant, Brandon Lee, Angel Bryant Wheeless, Tony Whitson and Mark Bilbrey. Honorary pallbearers will be John's dear friends from his Senior Golf Group. In lieu of flowers, contributions are suggested to be made to Cookeville Regional Medical Center Charitable Foundation, 1 Medical Center Boulevard, Cookeville, TN 38501. Hooper Huddleston & Horner Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. (931)526-6111. Share memories and condolences at www.hhhfunerals.com.