Bernice McNeely Witherspoon

View Funeral WebcastBernice Ellen McNeely Witherspoon, 70, Ranch House Restaurant waitress for 16 years and most recently a resident of Athens, Alabama, died Monday, October 5, 2009 at Kindred Hospital in Nashville. Funeral services will be conducted Thursday at 2:00 p.m. at Oakes & Nichols with Rev. Bobby Marks officiating. Burial will follow in Harvey Cemetery on Ollie Chunn Road in Maury County. The family will visit with friends Wednesday from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Born in the Spring Hill Community, she was the daughter of the late William Spivey McNeely and Maggie Ellen Tomlin McNeely. She was a member of First Independent Methodist Church in Athens, Alabama and the Ladies Auxiliary of Veterans of Foreign Wars. Mrs. Witherspoon, a homemaker in recent years, loved flowers and gardening, birds, butterflies, and fishing. Survivors include her husband since April 5, 1980. Stockard W. "Pete" Witherspoon of Athens; a son, Ricky Martin of Athens; brothers and sisters, Leonard "Sonny" McNeely of Columbia, Joyce (George) Wishart of Franklin, Mary Ruth (Larry) Schwartz of Spring Hill, Connie (Royce) Richardson of Culleoka, Betty Jo Stinnett of Culleoka, Billy (Pam) McNeely of Lynnville, and Ronnie McNeely of Columbia; grandsons, Joey Martin of Beverly Hills, Florida and Willam Benjamin Martin of Ft. Wayne, Indiana; 3 great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by a son, Billy Gene Martin, Jr. and a sister, Wanda Kicklighter. Nephews will serve as pallbearers.