Funeral Services for Mrs. Louella Ann Ledford, age 86, of Livingston will be conducted 4:30 p.m., Wednesday, September 25, 2024, from the Oakdale Baptist Church at 617 Norrod Road, Monroe, TN  38573, followed by burial in Bethsaida Cemetery at Sundown, per her request.  Bro. Timmy Ray, and Bro. Tommy Johnson will officiate.  The family will welcome friends on Tuesday evening from 5 until 9 p.m. at the Livingston Funeral Home Chapel.  Then on Wednesday from 2:30 p.m. until time of services from the Oakdale Baptist Church. 

Louella  “Lou” Ann (Hull) Ledford, age 86 of Livingston and formerly of Monroe, passed away peacefully on Saturday, September 21, 2024 at sunset. She was born at home in the Bethsaida community of Overton County, to the late, Ewing Alexander Hull and Maudie Elizabeth ( Richardson) Hull. In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her brothers, Herbert Green Hull, Hubert Lee Hull, Lawrence Ancel Hull, Emerson Alvis Hull, Lester “Leck” F. Hull,  Johnie Estel Hull,  and James “Jim” Doyle Hull; her sisters, Mary Vechele Hull, Ruth Emazell Hull Smith, Lexie Orene Hull Booher, Vada Colene Hull Norrod and Alma Jean Hull; her oldest grandchild, John Brandon Padgett.

Lou leaves behind her family to cherish her memory: daughter, Janet Marie "Janet-re" Ledford Norrod (Danny) of Cookeville, TN; son, Timothy Grover Ledford, Sr. of Crawford, TN; grandchldren, James Ryan Padgett of Nashville, TN, Kyle Lee Padgett (Bracie) of Monroe, TN, Thomas Fitzgerald Ledford of Monroe, TN, Courtney Diane Ledford of Cookeville, TN, Rory Michelle Ledford of Knoxville, TN, Emily Rose Ledford of Cookeville, TN, Timothy Grover Ledford, Jr. of Crawford, TN; great-grandchildren, Garrison Padgett of Monroe, TN, Jamison Padgett of Monroe, TN, Gracie Anna Marie Padgett of Houston, TX; her sister, Betty Faye Hull Choate ( Austin) of Ivyton, TN; her brother, Kelly Dwight Hull (Betty), a host of nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews.

Lou spent most of her life as a caretaker working at age 13 away from home to support her family, in the summer months. She left high school in the 10th grade to go to work to buy her younger siblings clothes for school. She began working at the Livingston Shirt Factory. After marriage she went to work for RCA Indianapolis for ten years before moving back to Tennessee. She walked a mile each way every day to catch a ride to go to work as she did not get her drivers license till she was 35. She worked for years at Stylecraft, Tricon, and Russell Stovers Candies retiring at age 62.

Lou managed to raise her children in TN while their father worked up north. She managed to work the farm, plant/harvest a garden while managing finances meticulously.  She sewed her own clothes, quilted, lived off the land and got to see both her children graduate high school.
In retirement, she didn’t stop , she sat with the elderly, always out walking daily,  read her bible daily and throughout 4 times a year, active in quilting club,  the senior center, the county fair, continued to grow a garden/canning, mow her own yard and a tiller till she was in her 70s. She often cooked for those in need, for fundraising and church functions.  She maintained her independence till her death with limited assistance. She will be remembered as a feisty lady who was always  kept her faith. She was a member of Oakdale Baptist Church for over 30 years.

Lou was affectionately known as “Ma” by her grandchildren, where she played an active role in each of their lives, and most lived with her at one point.

In lieu of flowers, donations should be made in her honor to her favorite charities, The Nashville Rescue Mission and St. Jude’s Children Hospital.