Ron Allison

Funeral services for Mr. Ronald (Ron) Aldon Allison, 72 of Cookeville, will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, November 7 at Cookeville First United Methodist Church. Interment will follow in Cookeville City Cemetery. The family will receive friends Friday from 4 – 7 p.m. at the Cookeville Chapel of Hooper Huddleston and Horner Funeral Home and again Saturday from 12 noon until service time at the church. Mr. Allison died Monday evening November 2, 2015 at Upper Cumberland Hospice and Palliative Care in Cookeville. Ron was a man known for his big smile, happy demeanor and kind heart. Ron was born April 19, 1943, in Baxter, TN to the late Alberta League and Robert A. Allison. He graduated from Central High School of Cookeville, Class of 1961. He was a graduate of Tennessee Tech in 1967 with a B.S. degree in mechanical engineering. He served in the U.S. Army Active and Inactive Reserves and National Guard from 1960 to 1968. He was employed by U.S. Steel Corporation's Fairfield, AL Steel Works for 35 years in various management positions. Upon retirement in 2002, he returned to his hometown of Cookeville where he enjoyed golfing and fellowship with the Cookeville Senior Golf Group. For the past five years, Thursdays were his favorite day of the week because he served as a volunteer docent at The Depot Museum. He enjoyed meeting people, especially children, and talking about steam engine trains and local history. Ron was passionate about Civil war history as well and enjoyed visiting battlefields and museums. He was a loyal and devoted fan of University of Tennessee athletics, especially Volunteer football and as a resident in Birmingham, AL for 35 years, encountered much grief for his Big Orange devotion. Ron was a member of Cookeville First United Methodist Church where he served in the Angel's Attic Clothing Ministry and was a past president of the Backsliders Sunday School Class. He attended this church as a young boy with his mother and sister, and then resumed his membership upon retirement. Survivors are his loving wife of 26 years and best friend, Elizabeth (Liz) Allison, daughter Holly A. Russo (John) of Melbourne, FL, step-son Stephen Short (Terry) of Williamsburg, VA, two grandsons who brought their papa great joy, Maximilian and Alexander Russo of Melbourne, FL, sister Dianne Hawkins (Billy) of Smithville, TN, brother, Greg Allison of Cookeville, niece Tracey (Brett) Autry of Nashville, TN, nephew, Tom George of Nashville, TN, great nephew Keelan Autry of Nashville, and several beloved cousins. Dr. Martin Thielen and Rev. Whitney Mitchell will officiate. Brett Autry, Tom George, Robert Maxwell, Melvin Maxwell, Bob Johnson, and Jerry Cass will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Backsliders Sunday School Class and Cookeville Senior Golf Group. Memorial donations may be made to God's Grace Food Pantry or Angel's Attic, First United Methodist Church, 165 East Broad Street, Cookeville, TN 38501