John Tidwell (1-27-10) services 1-30-10

John Willie Tidwell Sr., 79, of Savannah, died Wednesday, Jan. 27, at the Eliza Coffee Memorial Hospital in Florence, Ala.

He was born in McNairy County, son of the late Jess Carl and Letha Ann Ezekiel Tidwell. He was united in marriage to the former Virgie Jeweldine McLaughlin, who she preceded him in death.

Mr. Tidwell worked as a machinist foreman for TVA for 30 years before retiring. He had worked at the TVA Plants in: Colbert County, Ala.; New Johnsonville, Tenn.; Paradise, Ky.; Kingston, Tenn.; Gallatin, Tenn.; Pickwick Dam, Tenn.; Wheeler Dam, Wilson Dam, Ocoee #1 Dam, Brown’s Ferry Nuclear Power Plant, Guntersville, Ala., Watts Bar Dam, Watts Bar Steam Plant, Watts Bar Nuclear Power Plant, John Sevier, Kentucky Dam, Watauga-Hydro, and the Monarch Tile company in Florence, Ala., formerly "Stylon."

He was a member of the Walnut Grove Church of Christ; a member of TVA IAM Machinist Union. He was a Korean War Veteran and was awarded the Purple Heart.

Services were held on Saturday, Jan. 30, at Walnut Grove Church of Christ in Savannah, with Howard Rogers officiating. Burial was in the Walnut Grove Cemetery.

He is survived by two daughters, Judy D. Franks and Janet Rose Fletcher, both of Savannah; three sons, John Tidwell Jr. of Savannah, Justin Dale Tidwell of Henderson, Tenn. and Jeffery Carl Tidwell of Philadelphia, Tenn.; 11 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren; one sister, Cora Crowe of Finger, Tenn.

He was also preceded in death by a sister, Della Jane Plunk; and a brother, Jesse Carl Tidwell Jr.