Mother Martha Lillian Byrd Cleveland was born on Feb. 7, 1926, in Loudon, TN. She was the second of seven children born to the late Robert and Curra Bates Cleveland. She departed this earthly life on Saturday, June 29, 2019, at 2:57 a.m. at Park West Medical Center in Knoxville.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her siblings, Eula McMahan, John Henry Cleveland, David Cleveland, Retho Cleveland and Della Brown; her husband of 51 years, Jewell Christopher; her in-laws, Tommy and Lady Jackson, Fletcher and Birdie Fitzgerald, Opal Goodwin, Eddie Mann, George and Helen Smith and Roland Eskridge.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her siblings, Eula McMahan, John Henry Cleveland, David Cleveland, Retho Cleveland and Della Brown; her husband of 51 years, Jewell Christopher; her in-laws, Tommy and Lady Jackson, Fletcher and Birdie Fitzgerald, Opal Goodwin, Eddie Mann, George and Helen Smith and Roland Eskridge.
She is survived by her six children and their spouses, Jerry Eskridge (Evelyn) of Rockwood, Dr. Joyce Eskridge Hardaway of Chattanooga, John Calvin Eskridge (Chris) of Riverview, Fla., Jeffery Eskridge (Anita) of Lorton, Va., Janet Eskridge of Rockwood, and Joseph Eskridge Sr. (Damita) of Harriman; her brother, Curtis Cleveland of Cleveland, Ohio; in-laws, Pat Taylor (Dan) of Harriman, Fran McBride (Steven) of Connecticut; special aunt, Mae Parham of Newark, N.J.; 15 grandchildren; numerous great-grandchildren; nephews and nieces to include two devoted nieces, Barbara McMahan and Cassandra “Tinker” Fitzgerald-Fletcher; cousins; and a host of other relatives and friends including two special friends, Lillian Womack and Marie Knaff. Special thanks to the Amedisys Home Health Care.
The family will receive friends 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Friday, July 5, at Phillippi P.B. Church, 1455 Joiner Hollow Road, Rockwood, with funeral services to follow with the Rev. William Hall Jr. officiating. Interment will be at Roane Memorial Gardens.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that all contributions and donations be sent to Phillippi P.B. Church, 1455 Joiner Hollow Road, Rockwood, TN 37854. Published in Roane County News on July 3, 2019