Laura Wilson Locke Gary

Laura Wilson Locke Gary, LPN, age 99, formerly of Lake City Tennessee, went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday September 10, 2013. She died peacefully in her residence at ManorCare Nursing Home in Cleveland, Ohio at 10:40 a.m. Mrs. Gary was born Laura Ann Wilson on December 31, 1913 in Lake City, (formerly known as Coal Creek) Tennessee. Her parents were Vernon and Agnes Wilson.
Laura Gary was profoundly impacted by her resourceful and God-fearing grandparents, Isaac and Julia Staples. In fact, she was born in a small house on their 120 acre farm. She was the second of thirteen children. (Laura's mother was one of nineteen children.) Laura finished the eighth grade at the age of 13 and then stayed home to help raise the other children in the family. She also raised chickens, cattle, hogs, and planted corn, peas, and various other vegetables. Later she married Carl B. Locke and had three children of her own: Carl Eugene Locke, Elizabeth Virginia Ann Locke, and Edith Geraldine Locke. Laura's husband was killed in a Lake City mining explosion on February 20, 1937.
Laura had always wanted to go back and finish high school. After her husband died her mother, Agnes, encouraged her to write to the principal and ask him if she could return. He answered "Yes!" She was 29 when she went to high school, made excellent grades, and graduated valedictorian of her class! She was offered a scholarship from Knoxville College, but turned it down knowing that there was not enough money for her to go to college and her children too. Instead, she went to work cleaning houses for fifty cents a day and combined this income with that of other jobs to put her three children through Knoxville College.
Years later, when her children finished college, Laura graduated from St. Mary's Hospital School of Nursing. She passed her state boards with honors, worked for St. Mary's Hospital for seven years and then worked at Knoxville College in Student Health Services for eighteen years. She really loved taking care of the college students and they clearly loved being "nursed" by her!
In addition to being well-versed in nursing, Laura was knowledgeable about farming, hunting, fishing, cooking, crop rotation, gardening, preserving food, and many other subjects. Laura was a keeper of local history. After living through the great depression, the new deal, two world wars, the civil rights movement, and Operation Desert Storm, she still had an incredible memory. She saw a deficiency in the local history books because the accomplishments of black people were overlooked. When she retired from nursing she decided to record the history of the black people of Coal Creek. She made it a point to sit down every day to write for a few hours so that this valuable history would not be lost.
In the year 2000 her book, "Let Me Tell You About Coal Creek", was edited and published by one of her granddaughters. This book is a vital resource still available in many libraries including the University of Tennessee's Appalachian Collection. It details much of the history of the region as well as the legacy of Laura's family.
In January 1988 Laura Locke Gary was honored by the state of Tennessee with a Resolution by the House of Representatives for her "good works, strength of character, and selfless contributions to the community of Lake City."
Laura was a God-fearing woman who loved Jesus and was a faithful member of the Main Street Baptist Church in Lake City, Tennessee. Her generosity was phenomenal. She was always doing big and small things to help other people whether it was cooking and cleaning, watching someone's children, sharing advice or a home remedy, or just being a shoulder to cry on. She was always looking for a way to serve and encourage others.
Mrs. Laura Gary is preceded in death by her Grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, and eleven of her twelve siblings as well as her daughter, Edith Geraldine Locke Cotton.
She is survived by:
Her brother: Luther David Wilson.
Her children: Dr. Carl Eugene Locke (Helen) and Elizabeth Virginia Locke Smith Pirtle.
Her grandchildren: Ravine Ferguson, W. D. Smith, Jr. (Yolanda), Genene Thibodeaux (Ernest), Blossom Smith, Martin Smith, and Ronald Cotton (Charlotte).
Her great grandchildren: John Ferguson (Tacy), Carlene Ferguson, Jacqueline Smith, Victoria Smith, Reginald Mullins, Whitni Smith, Raivynn Smith, Charles David Smith, and Adam Washington.
Her great, great grandchildren: Donte' Louis, Mariah Washington, Michael Washington, Madison Hill, Jonathan Wysocki, Leah Washington, Kayla Welch, Alexandra Washington, and Adam Washington, Jr.
And a host of other cousins, nieces, nephews, church family members, friends, and co-workers.
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Memorial services will take place Friday September 13, 2013 at 9:30 a.m. Second Calvary Missionary Baptist Church, 12017 Emery Ave, Cleveland, OH 44135 [(216) 252-1050].

Visitation will be Tuesday September 17, 2013 from 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. at Hatmaker Funeral Home, 503 S Main St Lake City, TN 37769 [(865) 426-2158]. Funeral service will follow at 11:00 a.m.
Interment will be in the Anderson Memorial Gardens, 640 Oliver Springs Hwy, Clinton, TN 37716 [(865) 457-1821].
You may view and sign Laura's guest book at www.hatmakerfuneralhome.com.