Gilbert Keith Essex

Funeral services for Gilbert Keith Essex, 81, of Cookeville, will be held at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 2, at Cookeville Free Will Baptist Church. Burial will be in Essex/Wassom Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 4-8 p.m. today, Monday, June 1, from the chapel of Dyer Funeral Home, and from 3 p.m. until time of services on Tuesday at the church. Mr. Essex died Sunday, May 31, 2009, at his home. He was born May 27, 1928, in Putnam County to the late Hilary and Martha Clyde Kendall Essex. Mr. Essex was a member of Cookeville Free Will Baptist Church for 37 years and had served church as a deacon, Sunday school teacher and church bus driver. He was a member of Timothy Sunday shcool Class. Mr. Essex was retired from Acme Boot Company and was a farmer. His family includes his wife, Jean Essex; two daughters and a son-in-law, Carol Randolph of Cookeville and Cindy and Dale Walker of Sparta; a son and daughter-in-law, Cecil and Rhonda Essex of Cookeville; a brother-in-law, James and wife Theresa Spears of Cookeville; two sisters-in-law, Lena Spears of Cookeville and Ina Essex of Dayton, Ohio; four grandchildren, William Logan, Parker Essex Randolph and Lauren Alyssa and Andrew Keith Essex; several nieces and nephews; and many friends. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Talmadge Essex; a sister, Kate Burgess; and a granddaughter, Amy Michelle Essex. Revs. Jack Taylor and Gary Farris will officiate at the services.