Thelma Ann Ford Eldridge age 90, passed away July 2, 2026. She was born December 27,

1935 to Fred Francis Ford and Laura Louise Goss Ford in the Oak Hill Community of

Cumberland County, Tennessee. She was a member of Oak Hill Baptist Church. Thelma Ann

attended Oak Hill School in her younger years. She graduated from Cumberland County High

School in 1954. In her high school year book her senior motto was, “To ensure peace and

tranquility, ignore all rules and regulations.”

She was raised in the Oak Hill Community on the farm her parents homesteaded. She loved all

animals from the time she was a small child. In her adult life, she always bought a field full of

steers in the spring and sold them in the fall. She loved talking to everyone about this.

Upon graduation from high school in 1954, she started to work at the “old” First National Bank.

She retired from banking one random day at lunch after 62 years. She walked off. Frances

asked her if she had told her supervisor and she said she didn’t need a job reference. She was

very proud of her lifelong career at the bank. She missed all the people after she left but not the

computers. She worked with several people at the bank that were lifelong friends. They all

called her “Fuddler,” (Fuddo for short).

Thelma Ann was preceded in death by her parents Fred Francis Ford and Laura Louise Goss

Ford. She was also preceded by her maternal grandmother Eliza Ann Potter Goss and

grandfather Morris Baker Goss.

She was preceded in death by her paternal grandmother Savannah Hamby Ford and

grandfather Thomas Young Ford. She also was preceded in death by two sheriffs of

Cumberland County, Democrat Andrew Jackson Goss and Republican Black Bill Hamby and

their wives.

She was preceded in death by her special cousins Leora Bowman, Gene Parsons, and Elna

Faye Reed. She was also preceded in death by special friend Nellie Weatherford.

Thelma Ann is survived by daughter, Frances Louise Beard and son-in-law Daryl Beard,

grandson, Boomer Beard, granddaughter-in-law Jessica Beard, granddaughter Laura Ann

Beard (her namesake), and great grandson Silas Ethan Beard.

She is survived by special friends Joyce Turner Clack, Kay McCormick, Janelle Goss and Donnie

and Cathy Whittenburg, cousin Leora Bowman’s family, cousin Wilma Raper and family and cousins,

Hope Parsons and Rosemary Vinson, and caregiver Tess Gilbert.

She was also survived by many coworkers from First National Bank. Three of the originals were

Joel Green, Bobby Baisley and Oleth Padgett.

Frances would like to thank Hilltoppers Inc. for all the support she has received during this

difficult time. Thanks also to the people that supported her at the Preserve in Fairfield Glade. Thank you to Hood Funeral Home.

Services will be held at Hood Funeral Home. The family will receive friends from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.

on Friday July 10th, 2026 and Funeral on Saturday July 11th, 2026 at 2 p.m. officiated by Pastor

Jim Mersereau and Randy Graham. The burial immediately following the service at Oak Hill

Cemetery.