Lillian Evelyn Tanner Nation, 96, passed away on Saturday, February 28, 2026, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. She was born on September 22, 1929, in Houston County to Willie E. Tanner and Pearl Grace Lyle Tanner.
Evelyn grew up in Tennessee Ridge and graduated from Erin High School in 1947. She went on to Secretarial School in Nashville, earning a certificate. Around 1975 she went to nursing school and became an LPN. She worked as a nurse in the ICU at Clarksville Memorial Hospital for several years before moving to Dr. Hampton’s office where she worked until he became a medical missionary to Korea. Evelyn then became nurse for oncologist Dr. Cha. She was a long-time member of Hilldale Baptist Church in Clarksville.
On May 6, 1948, Lillian Evelyn Tanner married J.W. Nation in Nashville, TN. They traveled to many places while J.W. served in the Air Force for 20 years. She loved to sew, make quilts, and gardening.
She is survived by her son, Karl (Laurie) Nation of Manchester, and daughter Alyssa (Steve) Goins of Mt. Juliet, grandchildren Jonathan (Helen) Nation of Smyrna, Tricia (Dustin) Yanofsky of Estill Springs, Anglica (James) Cable of Knoxville, Benjamin (Parke) Nation of Winchester, Margaret (Kenny Lee) Brown of Manchester, Drew (Rachel) Goins, of Maryville, Diana (Mark) Newlin of Knoxville, Emily (Ryan) Thomas of Summerville, SC. Evelyn has 19 great-grandchildren and a great-great granddaughter. She has two surviving sisters, Edna Williams of Gainsboro, and Willene Norris of Tennessee Ridge. She is aunt to a host of nieces and nephews.
Evelyn was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, J.W. Nation, her parents Willie E. Tanner, and Pearl Grace Lyle Tanner, her brothers Hershel and Paul Tanner, her sisters Mary Abston, and Peggy Pulley.
Pallbearers will be her eight grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Alive Hospice in honor of Evelyn. For more information on how to donate visit https://www.alivehospice.org/get-involved/give/
A funeral service will be held on Monday March 9, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at Bond Memorial Chapel conducted by Drew Goins and James Cable. Visitation will be held from noon until 1:00 p.m. Interment will be at the Kentucky Veterans Cemetery West in Hopkinsville, KY on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. Evelyn’s eight grandchildren will serve as pallbearers.
Arrangements by: Bond Memorial Chapel, N. Mt. Juliet Road and Weston Drive, Mt. Juliet, TN. (615)773-2663, www.bondmemorial.com
For more obituaries visit our obituaries page.
This obituary was published by Bond Memorial Chapel.
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