Hurshal Riddle

Funeral services for Rev. Hurshal Lennon Riddle, 98, of Cookeville, will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, May 14 at the Cookeville Chapel of Hooper Huddleston and Horner Funeral Home with Dr. Harold Hunter and Rev. Bill Stone officiating. Interment will follow at the Crest Lawn Cemetery. The family will receive friends Wednesday from 3 – 8 p.m. and again Thursday from 11 a.m. until service time at the funeral home. Rev. Riddle died Saturday evening, May 9, 2015 at his home. He was born November 30, 1916 in Putnam County, TN to the late John Hollis and Lola Harriet Pippin Riddle. Rev. Riddle graduated from Cookeville Central High and attended TPI (Tennessee Tech University). He married the former Vivian Kathryn Netherton on November 4, 1939. Hurshal and "Miss Vivian" were saved during a Revival Meeting at Wilhite Baptist Church in 1946, and they immediately became active in the church, where he served as, not only the Sunday School Superintendent, but as teacher, deacon and song leader. In 1951, serving as Building Chairman, he led a successful effort by the Wilhite church to purchase and move the unused Bohannon School building to the present location that now houses the Cookeville Rescue Mission. On December 5, 1955 he became an ordained Baptist Minister. For the next 35 years he served as pastor of several Baptist churches including Sand Springs, Johnson, Rocky Point, Hanging Limb, and Dodson Branch. He also served as interim pastor at Silver Point Baptist Church. He has the unique distinction of performing the weddings of all four children and even some grandchildren. He has also baptized all his grandchildren and several of his great grandchildren. Hurshal loved history, was very involved in genealogy, and did extensive research for several history and genealogical books and publications. He was a retired production control manager and manufacturing supervisor with Wilson Sporting Goods. In addition to his parents, and wife Vivian, he was preceded in death by a brother, Joe Lee Riddle; three sisters, Mary Lanczki, Marie Farris, and Louise Snakenberg. He is survived by son and daughter-in-law, Bruce and Penny Riddle; three daughters and sons-in-law, Shirley and Hoyt Maberry, Retha and David Mayberry, Debbie and Joe Maberry, all of Cookeville; seven grandchildren, Ronnie (Vickie) Mayberry, Lisa (Tim) Hammons, Marcie Manzaro, Mark (Amy) Maberry, Elizabeth (Daniel) Witt, LeAnn (John) Looper, and Carrie Riddle (fiancé Justin Roberson); 13 great-grandchildren, Megan (Kyle) Fuller, Maicie (Jason) Hodge, James David Hammons, Kala Mayberry, Andrew and Emma Manzaro, Alibeth, Callen, and Ellie Kate Maberry, Parker and Ethan Witt, Annie and Kace Looper; and special care givers, Wanell Goolsby, Gail Carr, and Judy Hix. Pallbearers will be grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to Gideons International (by contacting the funeral home) or Colonial View Baptist Church Building Fund, 1426 West Cemetery Road, Cookeville, TN 38506.