Milns Thoburn Puckett (1909-2006)

From the Tennessee State Assembly composite portrait, 1965-66.

  The name would be Milns Thoburn Puckett. A curious name at that, and during a long life that extended nearly a century, this oddly named Tennessean wore many hats, including restaurateur, building contractor, church trustee, civic leader, and politician. A three-term member of the Tennessee House of Representatives, Puckett represented the 17th Floterial district during his service. A lifelong Tennesseean, Milns Thoburn "M.T." Puckett was born on January 20, 1909, one of twelve children born to DeKalb County residents Henry (1861-1911) and Etta Puckett (1865-1930)

   Little is known of Puckett's early years in DeKalb County, excepting notice of his marrying in March 1933 to Alvilda Shanks (1912-1991). The couple's near six-decade marriage saw the births of two children, Dr. Jerry Puckett (1935-1992) and Linda Puckett Carlen (1943-2017). Following his marriage, Puckett's name grew to be a familiar one in the civic life of DeKalb County, with his being the founder of "Puckett's Camp", a restaurant, lodging, and camping facility on Center Hill Lake. He would be a founding organizer of the Citizen's Bank of Smithville, an organizer of the Middle Tennessee Natural Gas Utility District, and for three decades was a trustee of the First United Methodist Church in Smithville.

   A building contractor in DeKalb County for many years, Puckett owned the M.T. Puckett Construction Company, and in 1970 etched his name into local history when he and his company finished construction of the DeKalb County Courthouse, which is still in use today. Puckett began his political career with his election to the Tennessee House of Representatives in November 1954 and was named to the following committees for the 1955-57 term: Conservation; Correctional Institutions; Insurance and Banking; and Military and Veterans Affairs.

   M.T. Puckett won a second term in the state legislature in 1962, and during the 1963-65 term sat on three new committees, those being Education; Public and Mental Health; and Welfare and Employment Security. In November 1964 he was elected to his third and final term in the house, and from 1965-67 served as vice-chairman of the Committee on Conservation. His terms in state government saw his name connected to the Tennessee Water and Safety Act, of which he was the primary sponsor.

   Following his leaving the legislature Puckett continued residence in Smithville and in 1991 suffered the death of his wife Alvilda. In the year following her passing, he suffered the additional loss of his son Jerry, and in January 1999 celebrated his 90th birthday. Milns Thoburn Puckett died in Tennessee on May 30, 2006, aged 97. He was later interred alongside his wife at the DeKalb Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Smithville. 

From the 1955-56 Tennessee legislative composite portrait.