John Alexander Umstead

John Alexander Umstead, age 80, resident of Oakland, Tennessee and husband of Ruby Gilmer Umstead, departed this life Thursday morning, October 8, 2020 at St. Francis Hospital in Bartlett.

John was born June 19, 1940 in Memphis, Tennessee, the son of the late Jack and Elizabeth Fisher Umstead. He was a graduate of Collierville High School and attended Lambuth University in Jackson, Tennessee. He was married September 3, 1964 to Ruby Gilmer Umstead and was the owner and general contractor at John A. Umstead & Son Construction LLC before his retirement in 2012. John was a member of Hickory Withe First Baptist Church and enjoyed raising cows and reading about animals, especially birds. He had a love for dogs.

Mr. Umstead is survived by his wife of 56 years, Ruby Gilmer Umstead of Oakland, TN; two sons, John Scott Umstead of Oakland, TN and Jason Alexander Umstead (Deborah) of Oakland, TN; his sister, Mary Steele of Eads, TN; and two grandsons, Alexander Scott Umstead and Benjamin Robert Gilmer Umstead.

Funeral Services for Mr. Umstead were held at 1 P.M. Monday, October 12, 2020 at Hickory Withe First Baptist Church with Bro. Eddie Little, pastor of the church, officiating. Interment followed in the Bethany Christian Church Cemetery at Eads.

Those honored to serve as pallbearers were Frank Baily, Kevin Searcy, Kenneth Gilmer, Ronnie Gilmer, Cornelius Dixon and Richard Hutcherson. Honorary pallbearers were Stanley White and Billy Warmack.

The family requests that memorials be directed to the Hickory Withe First Baptist Church – Building Fund, 17675 Highway 196, Eads, TN 38028.