Reba Jo Medley

Funeral services for Reba Jo Medley, 87 of Cookeville, will be held Thursday May 25th at 11:00 am at the Cookeville Chapel of Hooper Huddleston Horner Funeral Home. Interment will follow at the Crest Lawn Cemetery. Bro. Johnny Fox will officiate.

Reba Jo passed from this life on Sunday, May 21, 2023, at Heritage Pointe in Cookeville. She was born October 2, 1935, in Silver Point, TN to the late Emanuel Joseph and Maudie Viola Herren Thomas.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 63 years, Frank Medley, 3 brothers and sisters-in-law Marvin and Vennie Thomas, Arvin and Dimple Thomas, and David and Alene Thomas, 1 sister and brother-in-law Pearl and Stanley Anderson, brother-in-law Bud Tucker, and brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law J.C. and Kerrin Medley and Wilfred and Doris Medley . She was a longtime faithful member of the Silver Point Church of Christ and the Baxter Church of Christ.

Reba Jo was a 1953 graduate of Baxter Seminary. She attended Tennessee Tech University, where she earned a BS in Education, a Master's Degree and an EDS Degree. She began her teaching career in Little Rock Arkansas while Frank was stationed in the Air Force. After moving back to Silver Point in 1957, she taught at the Thomas schoolhouse in the 8th District, a one room schoolhouse. She taught children from 1st grade through the 8th grade. Not only was she the teacher, she was the cook, the janitor, and was also responsible for building the fires in the stove during the winter and keeping the school warm. In 1958 she transferred to Cookeville High School where she taught Algebra I & II and Geometry. When the high school was converted to the Cookeville Junior High School, she remained and continued teaching Algebra and general math. Later in her career she transferred to the Putnam County Senior High School where she continued to teach Algebra I & II. After 39 years of teaching, she decided it was time to retire when she began having students that were grandchildren of previous students. She retired in 1995. During her teaching career she was honored to be selected teacher of the year several times.

Reba Jo enjoyed working around the house and in the garden. To her family, she was affectionally known as Granny Jo and Mimi Jo. She was always delighted when the grandchildren and great grandchildren would visit and share a meal with her. She always had plenty of fresh vegetables and made sure especially canned green beans and frozen sweet corn went home with each family.

Survivors include her two sons and a daughter-in-law Gary and Amy Medley, and Roger Medley of Cookeville, grandchildren: Kristin (Jeremy) Tomes of Huntsville, AL, Jonathan (Jenna) Medley, Cynthia Medley of Cookeville, Jackson Medley of Ganby Colorado and Ashlyn Medley of Nashville. Great-grandchildren: Addie, Camryn and Deyahn Tomes, Avery, Tucker, and Ellie Medley; sister Gail Tucker of Silver Point, and a host of nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 4 until 8 pm Wednesday and Thursday from 9 am until the service at 11 am. Pallbearers will be her sons and grandsons.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Baxter Seminary/Upperman High School Alumni Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 222, Baxter, TN 38544.

Hooper Huddleston Horner Funeral Home in charge of arrangements. Share condolences and memories at www.hhhfunerals.com.