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THE RUCKER CORNETT FAMILY Tommie Isbell Joines married Hiram Rucker Cornett on May 9, 1937 and they had three children.... Darrell, Barbara and Peggy.
Thomas Darrell Cornett Barbara Jean Cornett Peggy Ann Cornett
Hiram Rucker Cornett Tommie Isbell Joines Cornett
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Tommie Isbell Joines Cornett was the twin sister of Harriette Isbell Joines Hodge and both of The Twins were very Since Tommie and her twin were the second oldest of seven daughters many of the responsibilities of caring for younger siblings was left to them. They helped raise their younger sisters and did the family washing on a rub board. Did the ironing and Tommie can remember ironing up to 27 little dresses at one time in addition to other household chores. Harriette married when she was very young and her first child Tommy Bryant is about the same age as their youngest sister Nancy Helen so you have a mother and daughter both with child at the same time and give birth the same year. Tommie's helpmate now had her own family to care for so Tommie had to pick up the slack because most of the same work still had to be done. She surely did miss Harriette because up to that time they had been as one. Tommie's education was limited to the eighth grade and only Huretta, the oldest, went on to Hiwassee College where she also played basketball. As children the kids rode horses and swam in the creek in their birthday suits. The old farmhouse of Grandpa Will and Clementine Joines had a massive entrance hall as many of the old Victorian houses did and the kids played blindfold there along with cousin Walker Joines. Walker complained that "those girls like to have killed me" but I'm sure loving every minute of it!. Hiram Rucker Cornett and Tommie were married on May 9, 1937 and they When Tommie's children were little they had the biggest Christmases of any kids. She would order dolls, cowboy outfits and other toys from the "Jewell Tea man" and from the Sears Roebuck catalog as well as buying things from the Firestone store in town owned by the Grubb brothers which was located on College Street. As her children looking back on it now it was probably much more than could be afforded but what a glorious time it was to get up on Christmas morning and see all the toys....the memory is like " moments frozen in time" that we will always carry with us. It was something that we can't duplicate with children today but I wish we could. She really worked hard to make it special for her children. Although it was a little unusual for women to work outside the home during that period Tommie was urged by longtime friend Bill Lewis She worked at the Dairy Queen in the late 1950s for a number of years with Leona Webb and then took a job working at the 5 and 10 on Main Street in Madisonville when it was owned by the father of Herb Monsier, the famous Knoxville lawyer. Later the store was owned by others but they kept Tommie on the job where she tended the dry goods department. She worked at the 5 and 10 for over thirty years. At one time her younger sister Nancy Helen managed the store until she adopted her son Michael Wayne Belcher at which time she chose to stay home with him. With the coming of the Wal-Mart to Madisonville the 5 and 10 finally went out of business and Tommie retired moving to Greenback, Tennessee where her daughter Peggy and son-in-law Dayne built her a nice house and she could be near them and her three Carter grandchildren whom she adores. At age 91 Tommie is not as physically well as we would like but she is still mentally very alert and remains interested in her hobbies of making jewelry and doting on her five grandchildren and five great Grandchildren. She can no longer live alone and for a number of years Peggy has been taking care of her and staying with her at night. Late in 2006 Dayne agreed to go down to south Alabama and help one of his sons build a new home. At that time Tommie went to live with her daughter Barbara Jean until such time Peggy is able to come back home. Barbara has done a great job taking care of her and she if very happy there. About once a month her son Darrell and his wife Barbara drive up from Chattanooga and take her up to her house in Greenback and her doctor actually makes a house call to do blood work and check to make sure her health is ok. Most of the time she enjoys being at home for a few days but the trip is sometimes hard on her and she is always happy to be back at Barbara's where she can relax and enjoy watching the Braves play baseball....oh yes, she's also a big Atlanta Braves fan! When asked her philosophy of life she said "I think it’s rough". Nevertheless she endeavors to persevere. TOMMIE PASSED AWAY AT 6:39 AM ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER THE 16TH IN THE YEAR 2007 JUST ONE WEEK TO THE DAY AFTER HER 92nd BIRTHDAY. * AFTER A SECOND BOUT WITH PNEUMONIA HER SYSTEM WAS JUST TOO WEAK TO FIGHT BACK ANYMORE. AFTER A NIGHT OF FAIRLY GOOD SLEEP, WITH THE AID OF PAIN RELIEVERS, SHE TOOK SEVERAL SHORTER BREATHS AND WENT QUIETLY IN HER SLEEP. BECAUSE WE KNEW THAT SHE COULD NOT RECOVER WITH ANY QUALITY OF LIFE WE ARE SO THANKFUL TO OUR LORD THAT SHE DID NOT LINGER AND SUFFER. * WE KNOW HE TOOK HER WHEN IT WAS HER TIME TO GO. ACCORDING TO HER OWN TESTIMONY WE ARE PERSUADED THAT SHE IS AT PEACE IN THE PRESENCE OF OUR LORD. * MAY EACH OF OUR READERS KNOW THAT THEY AND THEIR LOVED ONES ARE READY TO MOVE INTO ETERNITY.
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who was the wife of Guy Lewis to work at their new business the Dairy Queen. They had just opened the franchise on Highway 411 north in Madisonville, Tennessee not far from where she and Rucker had set up housekeeping a short time before. Many men coming back home from WWII looking to be their own boss were doing very well with this new product, soft served ice cream. So with Bill encouraging her Tommie agreed and this was her first job outside the home. 
