MONTEREY-Funeral services for Mrs. Eva Marie Craig Rich of Monterey were held Thursday September 5 at 1 p.m. in the chapel of Horner Funeral Home. Interment followed in Welch Memorial Cemetery. Rev. Johnny Bowman officiated. Family and friends served as pallbearers.

Mrs. Rich, age 81, died Monday morning September 2, 2013 in Standing Stone Care and Rehab Center.

She was born March 26, 1932 in Monterey to the late John Owen and Laura Ann Fifer Sparks.

She was a 1950 graduate of Monterey High School and received her RN Degree in Nursing from Knoxville General Hospital School of Nursing in 1954.

Her nursing career of over 40 years included hospitals in Knox and Davidson Counties. She was instrumental in the opening of Clay County Hospital in Celina where she served as Director of Nursing for several years. She retired as Director of Nursing at Overton County Nursing Home in Livingston. Following her retirement, she was caregiver to many families in the Monterey Area.

Mrs. Rich was raised by her grandmother, Mollie Sparks and in turn raised two of her own grandchildren, Sean and Olivia Clinard.

Her entire family says she was truly a blessing to all. She always thought of others before herself and many times would go without to help someone else. She will be greatly cherished in the hearts of many.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Forrest Dale Rich.

Survivors include her daughter, Terri Craig of Livingston; two sons and a daughter-in-law, Steve Craig of Cookeville and Greg and Pam Craig of Nashville; 6-grandchildren, Sean Clinard, Olivia Clinard, Felicia Fultz, Ashley Butts, Tiffany Craig, and Gregory Craig II; and 4-great grandchildren, Anna, Jacob, and Presley Fultz, and Cameron Walker; brother, Eugene Manwarren of Middleburg, FL; and two sisters, Ernestine (Glen) Goggins of Monterey and Shirley Ethel Packer of Springfield, MI.

Arrangements by Hooper-Horner & Huddleston Funeral Home, Monterey.