SAMUEL E. HOOKER

SAMUEL E. HOOKER of Clarksville, TN died February 21, 2012 at the age of 87. He served his apprenticeship with K. Gardner Funeral Home in Nashville, serving as chief embalmer from 1952 until1955. He went on to work with Lewis & Smith Funeral Home in 1956. He set up his own grave service company named Hooker Funeral Service. He helped start Atena Funeral Home with Will Henry Johnson, and later sold his share in that funeral home. After working at Roberts, Ivey & Vance Funeral Home for nine years, in 1968, he purchased the firm. After two years he changed the name to Hooker Funeral Home. He was owner and part owner of several other businesses including: Serenity Funeral Home in Springfield, TN; House of White in Gallatin, TN; Algood Funeral Home in Cookeville, TN; and Kilgore Funeral Home in Murfreesboro, TN. After several successful years of business; he decided to concentrate solely on the Clarksville Funeral Home. He was a graduate of John A. Gupton College of Mortuary Science in Nashville, TN. He was a former president of the Tennessee Funeral Directors Association.