Esther Myra Lafollette

Myra Ousley LaFollette passed gently from the earth into the arms of Jesus to the strains of carols and hymns, being sung by her loved ones at her bedside at Parkwest Hospital shortly before midnight on Christmas Eve, 2006. Born July 23, 1942, she was preceded in death while still an infant by her mother, Minnie Hutchens Ousley. She grew up in the home and care of her paternal grandparents, Dr. and Mrs. J.M. Ousley and her aunt, Ruth Ousley Higgins, all now deceased. Also preceding her in death were her father, Paul Ousley, infant brother David Ousley, and maternal grandparents Thomas and Sarah Hutchens. She is survived by her devoted husband of 44 years, John A. (J.A.) LaFollette, Sr.; son, John A. LaFollette, Jr; daughter and son-in-law Kristi and Lloyd Oslonian; grandchildren, Jacob, Whitney, Kelsey, and Nicholas Oslonian; mother, Maggie Ousley Cook; sister, Delight Jobe; sister and brother-in-law, Yvonne and Ed Ingraham; and sister and brother-in-law, Bobbie and Buck Hatcher; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Jane and Ray Bell; nieces and nephews, Allen Jobe, Danny and Kelly Jobe, J.D. Crutchfield, Jennifer Crutchfield, Karen and Tony Gross; and special niece and nephew, Larry and Dana Bell; aunts and uncles, Ralph and Evelyn Ousley, Edna Hutchens, Nelle Widner, and Reece Hutchens; unofficially adopted sons and daughters Marty and Vickie Fawver (and granddaughters, Leslie and Victoria) and David and Sharon Green; special friends, Phillip and Pauline Maples; "double first cousins," Robert Hutchens and Virginia Loflin; and many other nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Myra LaFollete was a member of the Everett High School graduating class of 1960, a 23-year employee of Schlegel of Tennessee, and a member of Calvary Baptist Church. She lived a life of extraordinary self-sacrifice and service to her family, her friends�including innumerable friends made on first meeting, and her church. A lifelong lover of children, no role was more important to her or gave her deeper satisfaction than that of "Nana" to Jacob, Whitney, Kelsey, Nicholas, Leslie, Victoria, and Travis Cotten. A celebration of her life will be held Thursday evening at Smith Mortuary; friends will be received from 6:00 until 8, and funeral services conducted by Rev. Danny Davis and Rev. Charles Roy Murrell will follow. Interment will be Friday morning at 11 in Sherwood Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Calvary Baptist Church Building Fund. Smith Mortuary, Maryville, (865) 983-1000. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Esther Myra Lafollette please visit our Sympathy Store.