Jeannette Cox Carroll passed away peacefully at her home in Oliver Springs, TN on May 25, 2026, surrounded by the love of her family. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, church member, and friend whose kindness and gentle spirit touched the lives of many.

Jeannette was born on October 4, 1947, to William Lyles and Thelma Dyer Lyles at home in Coalfield, TN. 

She grew up in a family of seven with three sisters and one brother. She married Allen Cox II on August 6,1966. She married her current husband, David Carroll, on October 18, 2018.

She attended several schools, including Coalfield School, Highland Academy in Portland TN graduating in 1965, Southern University in Collegedale, TN. University of Tennessee where she earned a master’s degree in English in 1969, and Roane State Community College in Harriman, TN, earning an AS degree in Medical Coding. She and her sister, Regina, loved seeing their former classmates when they attended a recent class reunion at Highland.

Before facing health challenges, Jeannette spent years working in several different capacities.  One of her first jobs, which she loved, was working as a waitress at Holiday Inn. While living in Kentucky she taught elementary school in Prospect and worked at Ford Motor Company in Lexington. After returning to Tennessee, she worked as an Account Manager at Red Kap Industries in Wartburg for many years. She worked at the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant (K-25) and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (X-10) as an Administrative Assistant from 1981 – 2003.

Jeannette had a deep passion for life, finding joy in everything from her career and sports to reading and traveling. She was a good athlete and particularly enjoyed, and excelled at, softball. She traveled to many places in the world, like Hawaii and Jamaica with her good friend of many years, Ben Stelson. She was able to fulfill a life-long dream of visiting the Holy Land in 2023 with her sister Regina, and her friend Pat Noe.

Anyone who was fortunate enough to cross paths with Jeannette gained a friend forever. One of her supervisor’s said that “Jeannette could talk to a homeless person or the President of the United States and make either feel comfortable.” Her warm heart, loving nature, and unwavering faith made her a blessing to all who knew her.

Jeannette grew up as a Seventh Day Adventist and attended the Coalfield Seventh-Day Adventist Church her whole life. She was a life-long vegetarian. She loved reading and was a tremendous student of the Bible. She was taught Bible in school but also by her father. She could readily answer any Bible question and on those rare occasions, when needed, she would research until she was satisfied with the answer.

One of her favorite Bible verses was 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.  Therefore, encourage one another with these words.”

She could tell a story with such great detail and so much emphasis on each character it seemed real to those who were listening. She had a beautiful speaking voice as well as a beautiful singing voice.  She loved to sing and play the piano. She was willing to take on any job in the church that she was asked to fill. Her faith was the most important part of her life.

Jeannette was preceded in death by immediate family members including her son, Allen “Sonny” Cox III, parents Bill and Thelma Lyles, sisters Karen Sue Lyles and Charlotte Isbell, and brother Gary Blount Lyles.  She is survived by husband David Edward Carroll, sister Regina Lyles Cross, grandsons Allen Cox IV and William Oscar Cox, granddaughter, Whitney Cox Shelley; and great grandsons Bo Cox, Abe Cox, Xander Shelley, and Gabriel Shelley.  She leaves many extended family members and friends who will forever treasure her memory.

In accordance with her wishes, Jeannette was cremated. A graveside service will be held at Estes Cemetery in Coalfield, Tennessee on June 20, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. 

To leave a note for the family or to sign the online guestbook please visit www.jacksonfuneralservices.com

Jackson Funeral Home and Cremation is in charge of all arrangements.