Anna Ruth Bolding

We celebrate a glorious homecoming, as Anna Ruth (Crocker) Bolding, passed away peacefully surrounded by family at the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, Tennessee, on March 2, 2025. She is survived by her baby sister Linnie (Joe) Burns and sister-in-law Wanda Rives all of Union City, Tennessee, her two daughters, Sandy (Alan) Leake of Knoxville, Tennessee, and Melinda (Chris) Bargery of Alexandria, Virginia; grandchildren, Sarah (Ben) Leach, Haley (Andrew) McIndoe, Elisabeth (DJ) Barre, Jackson (Rachel) Bargery, Emma (Matthew) Ash, Alec Leake, and Mary Margaret Bargery; great-grandchildren, John, Charlotte, James, Landry, Augustus, Phoebe, Oliver, Highland, Harrison, and Lillian; a cousin who was like a daughter, Laurie Algee Ashe (Jeff, Ryan, and Anna Kathryn) of San Jose, California; many beloved nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Larry Bolding, her parents Clifford and Martha Rives, siblings Betty Easley and Bob Rives, and a great-grandchild Judah Bargery. Anna was born on February 13, 1940, in Union City, Tennessee. The third of four children, Anna excelled in school, played in the marching band, and graduated a year early from Union City High School as class valedictorian. She married Bobby Joe Crocker and moved to Tiptonville, Tennessee, where she lived for over four decades. She and Bobby Joe quickly established many lifelong friendships and could often be found water skiing, dancing, and playing cards with friends. They took a keen interest in Republican politics and enjoyed many state and national election watch parties, even dragging a black and white television in a pop-up camper on a family weekend getaway to ensure they monitored results. Anna made great efforts to maintain connections with her siblings and her hometown, spending so many weekends in Union City that Sandy and Melinda felt as at home there surrounded by aunts, uncles, and cousins as they did in Tiptonville. Fondly known as “Anna Ruth,” she worked in a variety of jobs from bank teller to bookkeeper to business owner. For almost two decades prior to her retirement, she served as the comptroller for Georgia Gulf Corporation. She was civically active throughout her adult life and was a key leader for the annual Reelfoot Lake Arts and Crafts Festival, eventually serving as a board member and primary organizer for participating artists, craftsmen, and vendors. A lifelong music lover, she delighted in playing the mountain autoharp, and developed friendships with fellow musicians all around, particularly in Mountain View, Arkansas. Retiring back to Union City, Tennessee, Anna was an active member of the Union City First Methodist Church where she enjoyed many friendships, served in church leadership, participated in women’s groups, traveled with the Go-Go’s, sang in the choir, and was a faithful volunteer. She fulfilled a lifelong dream traveling to the Holy Land alongside fellow church members. Anna took every opportunity to travel and filled her passport with stamps of the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, France, Portugal, and the Azores, among others. Two trips stand out as life highlights when she traveled to the UK and Germany with her sister Betty, her trusted trip planner and tour guide, by her side. Stories of the two exploring family roots in Blandford Forum, a market town in Dorset, England, have become family lore, never to be forgotten. Late in life, Anna married a high school friend, Larry Bolding of Paris, Tennessee, and moved to Paris for a few years where she and Larry enjoyed many special times. The greatest joy of Anna’s life was being “Munner” to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was a loving, devoted, and engaged grandparent, developing a special bond with each child. Anna spent the last year of her life in Knoxville, Tennessee. Despite increasing health challenges, she remained strong, optimistic, and joyful. Anna’s family will warmly remember her uncommonly sharp sense of humor, amazing aptitude for word games and puzzles, her delectable homemade sourdough bread, her love for music, and her delightful ability to socialize in any group or setting. They will always picture her with glass of wine in-hand connecting with family and friends. Her abiding faith in Jesus assures them that she is more alive today than ever before. Please join the family to celebrate Anna’s life on Saturday, March 29th at the First Methodist Church, Union City, Tennessee, with visitation beginning at 11 a.m. and service at 1 p.m. The family gratefully acknowledges the exceptional care “Munner” received at The University of Tennessee Medical Center, Knoxville Rehabilitation Hospital, and Arbor Terrace Assisted Living. In lieu of flowers, they request any memorials be made to Hometown Walk of Hope, 902 Perkins Street, Union City, Tennessee 38261 or Reelfoot Rural Ministries in Obion, Tennessee. Online condolences may be expressed at www.rosefuneraltn.com.

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Anna Ruth Bolding

February 13, 1940 - March 2, 2025