Nyleptha Roberts

Nyleptha Matilda Bryant Shell Roberts, 112, oldest person in Tennessee,ninth oldest in the United States, and twentieth oldest in the world,died peacefully, but unexpectedly, in her sleep of natural causes just after midnight on May 5, 2010. She was born in Bon Air, Tennessee on March 12, 1898 to John and Mollie Bryant. She was nine years old when she first saw a car in 1907. During her long life, she lived in Kentucky and Chicago, Illinois, worked in a grocery and a clothing store, and managed a laundry service. However, most of her work was as a homemaker for her family. For most of thelatter part of her life, see lived by herself in her home in Bon Air until age 107 when she became a resident of Life Care Center of Sparta,Tennessee. She remained active making her well known soap fish handicrafts up until her death. She was a member of the Bon Air Methodist Church. Nyleptha was preceded in death by her first husband Aaron Shell; two sons Johnny and Columbus (Leon) Shell; second husband Hubert Roberts; grandsons Stephen Collins and Johnny Shell, Jr.; brothers Earl, Carl,William (Jordon), and Merlin; half-brother Oliver; sisters Mary, Eula (Roberta), Lucille and Ruby; and close friend Nova Ramsey. She is survived by her daughter Juanita and son-in-law Gene Harris of Fairview, Missouri; brother and sister-in-laws Hubert and Martha Mae Bryant of Sparta,Paul and Lois Bryant of Tallahassee, Florida, and Johnny and Gladys (Willene) Bryant of Anderson, Indiana; daughter-in-law Ingeburg Shell and grandson Dr. Michael Shell of Augusta, Georgia;granddaughter and grandson-in-law Janet and Tim O'Callaghan of Schaumburg, Illinois;granddaughter-in-law Anita and husband Jack Cline of Schaumburg; great granddaughters Tracy and Heather Collins of Chicago and Schaumburg, respectively; nieces Carolyn and husband Rodger McCann of Sparta, Connie and husband Charles Wood of Walling, Tennessee, Wilma Cope of Sparta, Nina (Geraldine) and husband Gerald Sheets of Anderson, Joyce and husband James Land of Markelville, Indiana, Margaret and husband Elbert (Gene) Sparkman of McMinnville, Tennessee, Betty Lawrence and husband Jim Hunley of Murfreesboro, Tennessee,Donna Thomas of Woodbury, Tennessee, and Brenda Martin and husband Dennis Waggoner of McMinnville;nephews John (Mike) Bryant and wife Bonnie of Anderson, John Fuqua of McMinnville, Billy Fuqua and wife Carol of Rock Island, Tennessee, Steve Fuqua and wife Donna of Woodbury, Bobbie Bryant and wife Evelyne of Sparta, Stephen Bryant and wife Maureen of Greenville, North Carolina, and Paul (Greg) Bryant and wife Mary of Tallahassee; grandnieces Jamie Wood of Sparta, Amy and husband Martin Jordan, Jr. of Sparta, Melody and husband Keith Edmonds of Sparta, and Melissa and husband William Hunsicker of Nashville, Tennessee;grandnephews Jeffrey (Todd) Steward and wife Melissa of Elizabeth City, North Carolina, Fred Nordstrom, Jr. and wife Barbara of Essie, Kentucky, and Jeff Bryant and wife Waylena of Champaign-Urbana, Illinois; second cousins once removed Wanda Mahoney of Mount Juliet, Tennessee, Bonnie and husband Jerry Rogers of Quebeck, Tennessee, Curtis Detharidge and wife Wati of Manchester, Tennessee, Glenda and husband Larry Robinson of Palm Harbor, Florida, and Emogene and husband David Rute of Palmerton, Pennsylvania; special best friend Estelle Lewis of Cookeville, Tennessee and friend Judy Shirley of Sparta; Dr. Abhay Kemkar, M.D., and wife Nanda, and Dr. Bronn Rayne, M.D.; nurse Vicki Sims, activities director Debbie Guy, corporate president Beecher Hunter, and others of the supportive staff of the Life Care Center of Sparta; among others of her many friends and relatives. Funeral services will be on Saturday, May 15, 2010 at 1pm at Thurman Funeral Home of Sparta with Brother Rodger McCann and Brother Freddie Copeland officiating. There will be a private viewing reception for family and close friends starting at 11am with public viewing starting at noon. Interment will be at the Old Bon Air Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to: Cumberland Presbyterian Church, c/o Nyleptha Roberts Memorial 500 West Main Street, Watertown, TN, 37184. Thurman Funeral Home, 44 N. Main Street, P.O. Box 357, Sparta,TN 38583, (931) 836-3194 is in charge of the arrangements. Please sign the guestbook athttp://www.thurmanfuneral.com/