November 2012 Warning © copyright protected and may not be copied, duplicated, published, or sold directly or indirectly when posted to a tree that is sold without the written authorization of the immediate family and Sherri Gillespie
Josephine Beatrice Merrell was born in Hazel Tennessee near the Kentucky Tennessee border on 27 July 1896 to her Father William Andrew "Billy" Merrell and her Mother Daisy Octavia Buchanan. Josie married Rueben Francis Coffey in 1914 until his death in July of 1936. Josie and Rueben had 4 daughters named Evelyn, Helen, Gladys, and Maudie. She raised her 4 daughters alone after her husband died. She was 4'10" tall and wore a size 3.5 shoe. Times were very hard in 1936. Josie's mother-in-law, Maude Yates, had money and could have helped them. Instead, Maude Yates chose to leave Josie and her 4 daughters alone without help after her son Rueben died in 1936. Still, Josie always found a way to raise her girls by working from sun up to sundown. Her daughters said of her, "Mama never sat down". Her daughters remained proud of their tiny Mother throughout their lives. She is survived by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren who remember Granny fondly. Josie had no children with her subsequent marriage to John Thorn and lived out her life in El Paso, Texas. She loved animals and had several Pekingese dogs and chickens. Josephine loved to shop and fixed a mean pot of beans and cornbread. I recall when I was 8 years old I was almost as tall as Granny. She made a mark on her wall to compare our heights. When I visited her the following year I was slightly taller than she was. She made a big deal of it. I adored her and miss her still. Granny had a stroke and was incapacitated for the last months of her life. She was unable to talk or move. I was devastated by her passing and think it is unjust and sad she had a stroke. (written by granddaughter Sherri G)
Josephine Beatrice Merrell was born in Hazel Tennessee near the Kentucky Tennessee border on 27 July 1896 to her Father William Andrew "Billy" Merrell and her Mother Daisy Octavia Buchanan. Josie married Rueben Francis Coffey in 1914 until his death in July of 1936. Josie and Rueben had 4 daughters named Evelyn, Helen, Gladys, and Maudie. She raised her 4 daughters alone after her husband died. She was 4'10" tall and wore a size 3.5 shoe. Times were very hard in 1936. Josie's mother-in-law, Maude Yates, had money and could have helped them. Instead, Maude Yates chose to leave Josie and her 4 daughters alone without help after her son Rueben died in 1936. Still, Josie always found a way to raise her girls by working from sun up to sundown. Her daughters said of her, "Mama never sat down". Her daughters remained proud of their tiny Mother throughout their lives. She is survived by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren who remember Granny fondly. Josie had no children with her subsequent marriage to John Thorn and lived out her life in El Paso, Texas. She loved animals and had several Pekingese dogs and chickens. Josephine loved to shop and fixed a mean pot of beans and cornbread. I recall when I was 8 years old I was almost as tall as Granny. She made a mark on her wall to compare our heights. When I visited her the following year I was slightly taller than she was. She made a big deal of it. I adored her and miss her still. Granny had a stroke and was incapacitated for the last months of her life. She was unable to talk or move. I was devastated by her passing and think it is unjust and sad she had a stroke. (written by granddaughter Sherri G)
November 2012 Warning © copyright protected and may not be copied, duplicated, published, or sold directly or indirectly when posted to a tree that is sold without the written authorization of the immediate family and Sherri Gillespie
Josephine Beatrice Merrell was born in Hazel Tennessee near the Kentucky Tennessee border on 27 July 1896 to her Father William Andrew "Billy" Merrell and her Mother Daisy Octavia Buchanan. Josie married Rueben Francis Coffey in 1914 until his death in July of 1936. Josie and Rueben had 4 daughters named Evelyn, Helen, Gladys, and Maudie. She raised her 4 daughters alone after her husband died. She was 4'10" tall and wore a size 3.5 shoe. Times were very hard in 1936. Josie's mother-in-law, Maude Yates, had money and could have helped them. Instead, Maude Yates chose to leave Josie and her 4 daughters alone without help after her son Rueben died in 1936. Still, Josie always found a way to raise her girls by working from sun up to sundown. Her daughters said of her, "Mama never sat down". Her daughters remained proud of their tiny Mother throughout their lives. She is survived by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren who remember Granny fondly. Josie had no children with her subsequent marriage to John Thorn and lived out her life in El Paso, Texas. She loved animals and had several Pekingese dogs and chickens. Josephine loved to shop and fixed a mean pot of beans and cornbread. I recall when I was 8 years old I was almost as tall as Granny. She made a mark on her wall to compare our heights. When I visited her the following year I was slightly taller than she was. She made a big deal of it. I adored her and miss her still. Granny had a stroke and was incapacitated for the last months of her life. She was unable to talk or move. I was devastated by her passing and think it is unjust and sad she had a stroke. (written by granddaughter Sherri G)
Josephine Beatrice Merrell was born in Hazel Tennessee near the Kentucky Tennessee border on 27 July 1896 to her Father William Andrew "Billy" Merrell and her Mother Daisy Octavia Buchanan. Josie married Rueben Francis Coffey in 1914 until his death in July of 1936. Josie and Rueben had 4 daughters named Evelyn, Helen, Gladys, and Maudie. She raised her 4 daughters alone after her husband died. She was 4'10" tall and wore a size 3.5 shoe. Times were very hard in 1936. Josie's mother-in-law, Maude Yates, had money and could have helped them. Instead, Maude Yates chose to leave Josie and her 4 daughters alone without help after her son Rueben died in 1936. Still, Josie always found a way to raise her girls by working from sun up to sundown. Her daughters said of her, "Mama never sat down". Her daughters remained proud of their tiny Mother throughout their lives. She is survived by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren who remember Granny fondly. Josie had no children with her subsequent marriage to John Thorn and lived out her life in El Paso, Texas. She loved animals and had several Pekingese dogs and chickens. Josephine loved to shop and fixed a mean pot of beans and cornbread. I recall when I was 8 years old I was almost as tall as Granny. She made a mark on her wall to compare our heights. When I visited her the following year I was slightly taller than she was. She made a big deal of it. I adored her and miss her still. Granny had a stroke and was incapacitated for the last months of her life. She was unable to talk or move. I was devastated by her passing and think it is unjust and sad she had a stroke. (written by granddaughter Sherri G)
