Ruth Imogene Rea

Ruth Imogene Rea, 99, of Dunlap, Tennessee formerly of Benton, Illinois, passed away Wednesday, April 11, 2018 at Valley View Assisted Living Center in Whitwell. Imogene was born in the Mt. Pleasant community in Franklin County, Illinois on August 31, 1918, the daughter of William Napoleon Payne and Libbie (King) Payne. She was joined in marriage to Dallas Palmer Rea on September 7, 1940 and he preceded her in death on March 30, 2006. Imogene retired from a 20-year teaching career at Benton Consolidated High School in 1979, having attained her Bachelors and Masters of Science in Education degrees from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. Prior to her teaching career, she and her mother owned and operated Payne’s Beauty Salon in Sesser, Illinois. She was a member of Red Bank Baptist Church in Chattanooga. Imogene was preceded in death by her husband, Dallas; her parents; brothers- and sisters-in-law; William Arthur and Daphna Rea, John Wesley and Kathleen Rea and Delton Glynn Rea Sr.; sisters- and brothers in-law, Enid Rowena (Rea) and A.C. “Cook” Sanders and Cleona Ethel (Rea) and Carl George. She is survived by her son, Richard (Deidre) Rea of Dunlap; grandson, Jesse (Caroline) Rea of Princeton, Kentucky; granddaughter, Dr. Libby (Kirby) Ownby of Maryville; great-grandchildren, Jacob, Ethan, Kaden and Emily Claire; a sister-in-law, Mrs. Delton Glynn Rea Sr., of Griffin, Georgia and many nieces and nephews. The family extends their heartfelt gratitude to the staff of Valley View Assisted Living Center for their loving care of Imogene. A memorial of life service was held Saturday, April 14 in the funeral home chapel. Burial was in the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Valier, Illinois. Memorial contributions can be made to the First Baptist Church of Dunlap Building Fund. Online condolences can be made at reedfamilyfh.com. Standefer-Reed Funeral Home of Dunlap was in charge of arrangements.