Lavenia Williams

Funeral services for Mrs. Lavenia Ann Williams, age 88 of Cookeville will be held Sunday, September 16 at 1 p.m. in the Chapel of Hooper-Huddleston & Horner Funeral Home with Rev. Rob Wheeler officiating. Interment will follow in Cookeville City Cemetery. Mrs. Williams family will receive friends Sunday from 12 noon until service time at Hooper-Huddleston & Horner Funeral Home. Lavenia died Thursday September 13, 2018 at her home surrounded by her loving caregivers. She was born Wednesday August 20, 1930 in Cookeville, TN to the late Matthew "Matt" Martin and Lela Virginia Johnson Rucker. She graduated from Tennessee Polytechnic University with a BS degree in Education, taught school in Nashville and later moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the music business and modeling. She had a successful career and appeared in several commercial ads. Due to her generosity and kindness, she became a gracious hostess to many young country musicians, many of whom were to become future music icons such as Glenn Campbell, Tom Jones, Jimmy Best and she attended the very first Grammy music awards. While in Los Angeles she met the love of her life. They married and celebrated 25 years of love and happiness while traveling and entertaining before moving back to her home town to care for her mother. She had an amazing life and was a loving caregiver to her mother and late husband. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. James "Jim" Williams, sister, Virginia Ann Erhard and niece Virginia Ann Wright. Fondly known as "Auntie" or "Nanny" she is survived by her great niece, Ginger Wright, great nephew Matt (Tammie) Wright all of Cookeville; great great nephews, Spencer Wright and Tyler Wright; children, Bob and Kim Williams of Cookeville, Jim and Robin Williams of Alamo, CA, Johnna Pletcher and Stephanie Williams both of Sun Valley, ID and Rebecca Williams of Carson City, NV; grandchildren, Andi Williams and Emily (Paul) Wilkins, Luke Pletcher and Reid Pletcher, and Jaime Lou (Luke) Spray; care-givers, Patsy and Richard Ballard and former caregiver, Debbie Tays. Family and friends will serve as pallbearers.