AREA OBITUARIES -- MAUDINE CRUCE

Mrs. Maudine Cruce, age 93, of South Fulton, Tenn. passed away Friday, June 7, 2024 after proudly residing at the same address for 67 years.

Maudine was born on Sept. 7, 1930 in Dukedom, Tenn. to the late John Sherman Dickerson and Blanche Etta Clark Dickerson. She was the youngest of six siblings, who preceded her in death: Carlish Dickerson, Elmer Works, Arvell Dickerson, Helen Holmes, Nadine Doland, and Wandaline Winstead.

She graduated from Dresden High School in 1948, where she was known as an exceptional basketball player and was presented with the award “Most Athletic” alongside her close friend and classmate Ned Ray McWherter. After high school she moved to Chicago to work for a short time before returning to South Fulton to reunite with James Cruce. They were married on August 3, 1951, in Corinth, Miss.

She held jobs in many different industries while being an extraordinary wife and mother who went above and beyond the call of duty in all of her roles. She retired from Obion County School system after two decades holding multiple positions with her favorite position being one-on-one guidance to a student, being very dear to her heart for 12 years.

Her hobbies were cooking, vegetable gardening, sewing, and taking pride in keeping an orderly and immaculate home and yard.

She is survived by her husband to whom she was married for 72 years, James “Rabbit” Cruce. She is also survived by her four daughters: Vicki (Dick) Green of Lake St Louis, Mo., Debbie (Scott) Eagle of Menlo Park, Calif., Kim (Bert) Vogelbacher of Marietta, Ga., and Beth (Joesph) Cross of Martin, Tenn. and seven grandchildren; Hope (Grant) Sleesman of Aurora, Col., Megan Green of Wilmington, N.C., Max Eagle of Menlo Park, Calif., Jessica Eagle of Castle Pine, Col., Sam Vogelbacher of Marietta, Ga., Brittany McClanahan of Dresden, Tenn., Dylan McClanahan of Mililani, Hawaii, three great-grandchildren; Mackenzie, Peyton, and Hallie Sleesman.

She devoted herself to her husband, daughters and grandchildren, where she always put everyone’s needs before her own. She was one of a kind with God enabling her to overcome and endure many obstacles to contribute to her daughters’ higher education and see them follow their dreams. She was blessed to witness all her grandchildren complete high school and seek higher education.

Maudine had a deep and abiding faith in God and was a member of Walnut Grove Church in South Fulton. She previously attended First Baptist Church in Fulton, Ky. for over 50 years. She lived her life by the scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.”

She was blessed by her neighbors. God gave her the opportunity to share her life and experiences with very special neighbors; Steve Green, now living in Memphis, Tenn. and Paul and Jane Adams of South Fulton, Tenn. and their sons.

Maudine will surely be missed by her family and friends for her selfless love.

Funeral services will be held at 12 noon, Friday, June 14, 2024, in the Hornbeak Funeral Home funeral chapel with Paul Adams officiating. Burial will follow in the Obion County Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be held at the funeral home from 11 a.m. Friday until the hour of service.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to one of the following: St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St Jude’s Place, Memphis, TN 38105; Walnut Grove Church, P.O. Box 5024, Fulton, KY 42041.