Watson-North Funeral Home is honored to be of service and ministry to the family of Minnie Pearl Elliott Gilliam, age 74 of Estill Springs. Mrs. Gilliam passed away on the afternoon of Thursday August 29, 2019 at St. Thomas Mid-Town Hospital in Nashville, TN. Mrs. Gilliam was a native and lifelong resident of Franklin County. She was a very caring and nurturing person and worked for Life Care in Tullahoma tending to the needs of others, both physically and spiritually. She was a prayer warrior and prayed for the needs and cares of others, many of whom she didn’t know. She kept herself informed of everything that was going on with family and friends through her constant cell phone conversations. She loved to cook and bake, especially sweets, and used her cooking skills to satisfy her own “sweet-tooth”. She got her spiritual inspiration from the television and two radios that she kept tuned in to gospel music and preaching, 24 hours a day, including one radio she kept on her back porch. She never used the word “sister-in-law” but instead she referred to them as her sisters. Mrs. Gilliam was a member of the Heritage Baptist Church in Tullahoma. She is preceded in death by her husband of 56 years, Robert Gilliam, Jr.; mother, Minnie Lou Presley and her father, John Thomas Elliott; grandson, Daniel Clay Gilliam; several brothers and sisters. She is survived by her daughter, Mae (Ted) Hampton of Winchester; sons, Randy (Brenda) Gilliam of Estill Springs, Johnny Gilliam of Tullahoma and Lee (Sharon) Gilliam of Manchester; 9 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren; sisters, Martha Fletcher and Nancy (Melvin)Pogue, both of Tullahoma and Faye (Wayne) Miller of Cowan; brothers, Jimmy Elliott of Manchester, Roy Lee Elliott and Harold “Booger” (Linda) Elliott, both of Winchester. The family will receive friends at Watson-North Funeral Home Saturday August 31 , 2019 between the hours of 5 and 8 p.m. The funeral service will be conducted from the Chapel of Watson North Funeral Home Sunday September 1, 2019 at 3 p.m. with Bro. Eddie Canaday and Bro. Allen Martin officiating. Interment will follow at Red Hill Cemetery in Decherd with grandsons serving as pallbearers. In lieu of Flowers the family has requested that memorial contributions be made to the Heritage Baptist Church, 65 Fran Lane, Tullahoma, TN 37388. Online condolences may be made to www.watsonnorth.com.
