Thomas Aud RHEA

McMinnville resident and Grundy County, TN native Thomas Aud Rhea, age 88, was born October 19, 1921 and died December 5, 2009 at River Park Hospital following an extended illness. He was an automotive dealer and he started the first Lincoln-Mercury dealership in McMinnville. He was a United States Navy veteran of WWII and the son of the late Oscar and Laura Ethel Scott Rhea. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by four sisters, Elma Wooten, Gladys Winton, Vonda Lewis and Lillie Elizabeth Rhea; two brothers, Houston and Lawson Rhea; special aunt, Lena Rhea and two nieces, Evelyn Wooten Haley and Wilma E. Wooten. He was married November 16, 2000 to Martha May Rhea of McMinnville. In addition to his wife, he is survived by four sons and daughters-in-law, Richard and La Rawn Rhea of Nashville, TN, Jerry and Lois Rhea of Watkinsville, GA and Ted and Alpha Rhea and David and Marelise Rhea both of McMinnville; six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren; brother and sister-in-law, Elijah and Sammye Rhea of McMinnville; two sisters and brothers-in-law, Joyce and H.B. Scott and Frances and Bill Baker both of McMinnville; sisters-in-law, Faye Rhea of McMinnville and Christine Rhea of Nashville, TN; brother-in-law, Joseph Beason Lewis of Nyssa, OR; two step-sons, Donnie Stotts of Manchester, TN and Jimmy Stotts of Summitville, TN and fourteen nieces and nephews. Funeral service was held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, December 7, 2009 in High's Chapel. Burial followed in the Philadelphia Cemetery in Grundy County, TN with full military honors administered by the American Legion Post 173 and VFW Post 5064.