William Mahon Gaither

William “Woody” Mahon Gaither, age 85, resident of Moscow, Tennessee and husband of Dorothy L. “Dot” Moore Gaither, departed this life Friday morning, March 23, 2018 at the Methodist LeBonheur Germantown Hospital.

Services of Remembrance for Mr. Gaither were conducted at 12 noon Monday, March 26, 2018 at the Peebles West Funeral Chapel at Oakland. The officiating minister was Bro. Gary Joyner, pastor of the Evangelical Full Gospel Church in Moscow. Personal remarks were given by Jerry Watkins. Interment followed in the Somerville City Cemetery. Arrangements were provided by Peebles Fayette County Funeral Homes & Cremation Center – West Chapel at Oakland.

Mr. Gaither was born March 5, 1933 in Williston, Tennessee. He received his education in the Fayette County Public School System and served his country in the United States Army. He was a lifelong resident of the Fayette County area and was the owner of Forty-Five Grocery for many years. He was also employed as a fabricator for Carrier Heating and Air Conditioning for 15 years before his retirement. Mr. Gaither was married June 11, 1966 to the former Dorothy L. “Dot” Moore and he was a member of Morris Chapel Baptist Church in Somerville. He was known as the “sweet potato man”, as he sold sweet potatoes for 17 years on the side of roads throughout Fayette County. He will be remembered as a people-person who was a collector of antiques.

Mr. Gaither is survived by his wife of 51 years, Dot L. Gaither of Moscow, TN; his daughter, Karen E. Gaither Watkins (Jerry) of LaGrange, TN; his son, Randy M. Gaither (Michelle) of Rossville, TN; his stepson, Jerry Bailey; six sisters, Dorothy Richardson (James) of Oakland, TN, Pauline Long (Jim) of Rossville, TN, Pat Richardson (Ben) of Oakland, TN, Kathy Frisbee of Pauma Valley, CA, Lois Smith of Byhalia, MS, Phyllis Rottgering of Germantown, TN; 5 brothers, Donald Watkins of Moscow, TN, Bob Gaither of Senatobia, MS, Jim Gaither of Byhalia, MS, Louis Gaither of Oakland, TN, Sam Gaither of West Memphis, AR; nine grandchildren and seventeen great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Mahon C. Gaither and Estelle Leatherwood Gaither Watkins; his stepfather that was like his father, Ed Watkins; and five brothers, Cecil Gaither, Leon Gaither, Maurice “Bit” Gaither, Bill Gaither and Larry Gaither.

Those honored to serve as pallbearers were Zack Watkins, Brandon Watkins, Caleb Watkins, Jerry Watkins, James Richardson and Jim Long.

The family requests that memorials be directed to the Evangelical Full Gospel Church, 325 Price Road, Moscow, TN 38057 or Morris Chapel Baptist Church, 475 Feathers Chapel Drive, Somerville, TN 38068.