Obituaries

Aug 19, 2018

MARY ELIZABETH GRAVITT  SWAFFORD,  age 92 of Athens, Tenn. passed away Sunday, August 19, 2018, at her residence. She was a native and lifelong resident of McMinn County, Tenn., a daughter of the late Ollie and Mamie Kimbrough Gravitt. She was a former employee of Bowater Paper Co. working in the cafeteria.  She was a former member of Oak Grove...

Aug 17, 2018

BOBBYE JEAN TOOMEY KING,  age 80 of Foley, Alabama went to be with Jesus Friday, August 17, 2018, at South Baldwin Medical Center in Foley, Ala. She was a native of McMinn County,  residing in Foley, Alabama.  She was a daughter of the late Clarence Leon and Viola Moses Toomey.  Bobbye accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior and became a member...

Aug 17, 2018

Elizabeth Ann "Betty" Gabbard born December 16, 1940 passed away on Friday August 17, 2018 at Erlanger Medical Center after a short illness. She was preceded in death by her husband, Truman Scott Gabbard and her parents Frank and Catherine DeFrank Barberio of Cleveland, Ohio.

Betty worked at AT&T in Colorado, New Jersey and finally Nashville, Tennessee where she retired...

Aug 13, 2018

HENRY LEE LANKFORD, age 70 of Riceville, Tenn. passed away Monday, August 13, 2018.

A native of Englewood and current resident of Riceville, he was a son of the late Marshall and Polly Ann Russell Lankford, and was preceded in death by 4 brothers; Bob Lankford, Buddy Lankford, Billy Lankford, Larry Lankford, and   1 sister, Bernice Conine.  He was a...

Aug 13, 2018

Aug 11, 2018

WAYNE "PeeWee" SHELL,  age 83 of Athens, Tenn. passed away Saturday, August 11, 2018, in Parkwest Medical Center in Knoxville, Tenn. He was a native and lifelong resident of McMinn County, Tenn.,  a son  of the late N. C. and Meda Rogers Shell, and preceded in death by Son: David Lynn Shell and Brother: Harold R. Shell.  He was President...

Aug 10, 2018

ESTHER LAMB "ESSIE" HILL,  infant daughter of James Jonathan and Elizabeth Berg Hill passed away Friday, August 10, 2018, in Starr Regional Medical Center of Athens, Tenn.  Survivors: Maternal Grandparents: Lonette and Stephen Berg of Hoover, Ala. Paternal Grandparents: Bobby and Phoebe Harrison  of Red Bay, Ala. Great Grandfather: Lonzo Lamb of Athens, Tenn. Those wishing to send codolences may...

Aug 2, 2018

Linda Faye Kennedy Burns age 67 of Athens passed away Thursday, August 2, 2018 at Life Care of Athens. A native and lifelong resident of McMinn County, she was the daughter of the late Lester and Nellie Hampton Kennedy.

Survivors include:

One sister: Neda Kennedy Clark One niece:  Judy Freeman One nephew:  Marty Clark Four great-nieces Jennifer Crowder, Kimberly Woody, Sabrina Ellison...

Jul 28, 2018

LISA RENAE FOX LYLES, age 53 of Athens, Tenn. passed away Saturday, July 28, 2018, in Starr Regional Medical Center of Athens. She was a native and lifelong resident of McMinn County, Tenn.  She was a manager of Subway and a member of Westview Baptist Church.

Preceded in death by: 

Brother, James Edward (Eddie) Fox  Step-Father, Jerry Ross Wilson.  Survivors include:

Husband, David Scott Lyles...

Jul 22, 2018

Jul 21, 2018

Jeanette Mildred Calahan, age 78, of Niota passed away Saturday July 21, 2018 at her residence.  A native of McMinn County and a resident of Niota for the past 20 years, she was the daughter of the late John James and Edith Derrick Cass. She was member of East Athens Baptist Church, Woodman of the World and Athens Senior Travel...

Jul 13, 2018

OTIS RAY BIVENS, age 77 of Sweetwater, Tenn. passed away Friday, July 13, 2018, at his residence. He was a native of McMinn County, Tenn.,  resident of Monroe County, Tenn. since 1974, and a son of the late John and Macy Winters Bivens. He was a member of the Sweetwater Masonic Lodge. His first job was in 1955 at the Kreme...

Jul 6, 2018

WAYNE GILBERT (JOE BUCK) PIERCE,  age 90 of Athens, Tenn. passed away Friday, July 6, 2018, in Athens. He was a native and lifelong resident of McMinn County, Tenn., a son of the late Ray Gilbert and Nelle Cate Pierce.  He was retired from Bowaters Paper Co. and was of the Baptist faith. He was a veteran of the U....

Jul 6, 2018

Carolyn "Tooter" Galyon Collins, age 75, of Athens passed away  Friday, July 6, 2018 at U.T. Medical Center. She was a native and lifelong resident of Athens and was the daughter of the late Odes and Juanita Ditmore Galyon.  She was a member of McMahan Calvary Baptist Church where she loved  to lead the singing.  A loving and devoted mother, grandmother, and...

Jul 6, 2018

JOHN DAVID "J. D." NELSON,  age 93 of Athens, Tenn. passed away Sunday, July 8, 2018, in Starr Regional Heath and Rehab in Etowah, Tenn.

He was a native of Meigs County, Tn., resident of McMinn County, Tenn. since 1952, a son of the late Tarry and Callie Brandon Nelson.  He retired from TVA Watts Bar. He was a member of...

Jun 29, 2018

HENRY BEN "BUCK" SNEED,  age 92 of Athens, Tenn. passed away Friday, June 29, 2018, in NHC Healthcare of Athens, Tenn. He was a native and lifelong resident of McMinn County, Tenn., a son of the late Benjamin Harrison and Virginia Yarber Sneed.  He retired from Athens Products and was a member for over 60 years of Fairview Baptist Church....

Jun 29, 2018

LONNIE LATHAM, age 69 of Athens, passed away Friday, June 29, 2018 at his residence. 

A native of Athens, he was raised in Sweetwater and was a son of the late Frank and Bessie King Latham.  He was a hard worker and was a former employee of the Tennessee Military School, Tennessee Wesleyan College, Vestal Manufacturing, Ramada Inn, and most recently M&M...

Jun 29, 2018

Sandra Brady Sledge, age 70 of Athens passed away on Friday, June 29, 2018, at her home. A life-long resident of McMinn County, she was a daughter of the late Ben Ermon and Nettie Mae Hicks Brady.  She was a member of East Niota Baptist Church and attended Trinity United Methodist Church. She was an employee for Athens City Schools...

Jun 25, 2018

JOSEPH LEON NORRIS,age 85, of Athens passed away June 25, 2018 at Life Care Center of Athens. A native of Lowndes, Alabama and a resident of McMinn County for the past 60 years, he was the son of the late Thomas Weaver and Susie Marvin Norris. He was a member of First Baptst Church of Athens and was a self...

Jun 21, 2018

RUBY KIRK BOLDEN, age 80 of Niota passed away Thursday, June 21, 2018 at Willow Acres Assisted Living. 

She was born in Jonesville, Va., resident of Dayton, Ohio most of her life, and resident of Niota, Tenn. since 1975. She was a daughter of the late Guy and Mary Alice Miles Kirk.  She will be greatly missed by all who...