It is with both sorrow and profound love that we announce the passing of Bob Randall “Randy” Wolaver of Smyrna, Tennessee. Randy passed away peacefully with family by his side and into the loving arms of Jesus on February 8, 2024, at the age of 82 years.
Randy will be remembered by his children: Chris Wolaver (Gail Post) of Old Hickory, and Scott Wolaver (Amy) of Murfreesboro; grandchildren: Zac (Amber), Bethany (Chandler), SaraRuth, Ethan, and Jordan; great-grandchildren: Quinn and Eva; as well as numerous other relatives and close friends. He will also be dearly missed by his Hardee’s breakfast group, poker game buddies, and his The Grove Church family in Smyrna.
He is preceded in death by and now reunited with the love of his life, wife Sarah Faye (née Land) Wolaver; parents, Bob Murphy and Bertha Odell (née Mitchell) Wolaver; and his three sisters, Margaret Hurst, Janice Sharp, and Sara “Sadie” Hayes.
Originally from Fayetteville, Tennessee, Randy relocated with Sarah and their two sons to Antioch and later Smyrna from Round Rock, Texas in the mid-1980s. He retired from American Fabricators (AFI) in 2011 after 28 years of proud and dedicated service-leadership. He was an avid golfer, gardener, and gunsmith. He was a small-business owner, active community member, and a lover of his country. He enjoyed working on things in his garage and sitting in his chair having a cup of coffee.
His proudest accomplishment of all was his family. He never missed a football game, dance recital, softball game, graduation, or homecoming. He often spoke about how he would admire the photos hung in his living room of his great-granddaughters, and it brought him so much joy that he couldn’t help but laugh. He possessed the art of perfectly balancing genuine encouragement and gentleness, without sugarcoating his advice. He was the definition of a strong, providing, loving father. This sentiment was extended not only to his family by blood, but also to those he chose to father (and grandfather) in other ways throughout his life. The most common stories of Randy from neighbors, friends, employees, and others involve his generosity, selflessness, and inability to meet a stranger—he always treated everyone as if he knew them. His absolute devotion and philosophy of open arms for those he loved will be admired and multiplied for generations to come.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, February 10th, 2024, at 2 PM at The Grove Church, 10541 Cedar Grove Road, Smyrna, TN. Visitation with the family will be from 12 PM until 2 PM on Saturday at the church.
The funeral will be held Sunday, February 11th, 2024, at 2 PM in Fayetteville, TN at Higgins Funeral Home. Visitation with the family will be from 12 PM until 2 PM on Sunday at Higgins.
The family wishes to send a special thank you to the staff at The Pavilion Senior Living at Smyrna and Gentiva Hospice for their care and compassion.
