Obituaries
• BILLINGSLEY, Jo Mull,
May 6, 2015
83, of Knoxville, passed away peacefully on Saturday, May 2, 2015. She was born in Athens, Ga. and moved to Oklahoma. She won the Shirley Temple look-alike contest when she was around 5 years old. She was a high school cheerleader, a political campaigner, a preschool teacher, a teller at Home Federal Bank, a Welcome Wagon hostess and a breast cancer survivor. She attended Oklahoma State Univ-ersity, where she met and married her beloved husband, Jimmy Carlysle (Jim) Billingsley on July 3, 1952, shortly before his induction into the Army. Jo was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, and was happiest when all of her family was in one room. She is survived by her son, Craig and wife Ginger, and daughter, Denise Chesney and husband Bill all of Knoxville; grandchildren, Erin Tucker and husband, Matt of Antioch; Ashley Cross and husband, Carter; Will Chesney and Ben Chesney, all of Knoxville; great-granddaughter Hannah Grace Tucker of Antioch, great-grandson Conner Callaway Cross of Knoxville; and several nieces and nephews. The family extends their thanks to the staff at Clarity Pointe in Farragut and Avalon Hospice, for their outstanding care of Jo. A Celebration of Life will be held in the Youth Suite at Cokesbury United Methodist Church on Saturday, May 9th at 2:00 pm. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to The Alzheimer’s Association, www.alz.org. Click Funeral Home Farragut Chapel, 11915 Kingston Pike is serving the Billingsley family. www.clickfh.com
• PURSER, Jean,
April 8, 2015
a longtime resident of Knoxville, passed away on March 31, 2015. She was born on March 2, 1930 in Gastonia, North Carolina, daughter of Truman and Lula Poole. She married James Purser on December 16, 1950, and together they moved to Fairbanks, Alaska, during James’ military service there. They relocated to Knoxville in 1961, where they raised a daughter, Janice, and son, Ken. Jean was a devoted wife and loving mother, who always thought of her family before herself, and who was always ready with a bad pun to put smiles on our faces. She was an active member and volunteer at Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church until her health declined in later years. She enjoyed evenings at home with her family, watching classic movies with her daughter Janice, dining out at her favorite restaurants, and, of course, ice cream. She will be very dearly missed. The family received friends on Friday April 3, 2015 from 1:30 until 2:00 at Berry Highland Memorial Funeral Home and the funeral services followed at 2:00. The interment followed in Berry Highland Memorial Cemetery. Condolences may be offered at www.highlandmemorialknoxville.com
• THOMAS, Gregory Herbert (Greg),
April 8, 2015
passed away March 30, 2015, at UT Medical Center surrounded by his family and friends after a courageous battle with cancer at the age of 55. Greg is survived by his sons, Sam and Adam Thomas; best friend and mother of his children, Diane Thomas; parents, Roy and Pat Thomas; brother, Gary Thomas; sister, Joy Thomas; and numerous nieces and nephews. Greg was born July 26, 1959, in Elk City, OK, and graduated from Farragut High School in 1977. He attended Tennessee Tech University on baseball scholarship where he set many batting records that still stand in his name. He found his true calling as a massage therapist in 2007, opening his own massage therapy business where he helped to heal countless people across the country. Greg’s passion and greatest accomplishment in life was raising his boys, Sam and Adam. He was a hands-on, fun loving, devoted Dad that took great pride in everything they did. He shared with them his love of sports, especially baseball and coached many of their teams over the years. Greg was a dedicated, loyal and fierce friend to many and loved by all who were blessed to know him. He had a very witty sense of humor and lived life to the fullest. The family will receive friends on Thursday, April 2, 5-7 p.m. at Click Funeral Home Farragut Chapel, with a Celebration of Life to follow. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Greg's life. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to: The Cancer Society of East Tennessee. Click Funeral Home Farragut Chapel, 11915 Kingston Pike, is serving the Thomas family. www.clickfh.com
• COYNE, Robert F.,
March 25, 2015
entered into eternal peace March 21, 2015 in Knoxville, TN at the age of 79. He was born in Bridgeport, CT, and was the youngest son of father, John B. Coyne and mother Laurine J. Coyne. Bob, as he is known to his friends and family, was a good and loving husband to Katherine J. Coyne, deceased on September 3, 2003. Also preceding him in death was his older brother Bernard Coyne. He will continue to be remembered as a gracious, kind and loving father, grandfather, uncle, brother and friend to many in Knoxville, Ohio, Connecticut and Virginia. He served in the U.S. Army, 10th Battalion Headquarters at the end of the Korean conflict attaining the rank of sergeant. Starting his business career in Boston, MA at WBZ-TV, as a staff broadcast engineer, he worked in both radio and television. He accepted a new challenging position as one of the first engineers to help start up a new television station, WTOL-TV in Toledo, OH. After ten years in television, desiring a new career in sales, Bob accepted a sales position with Mainline Distributors as a regional sales manager for the RCA and Whirlpool Product Lines. Continuing to look for new sales challenges and growth, he accepted a regional sales position with the original Magnavox Co. where he was responsible for sales in parts of OH, MI and IN. In 1984, he was promoted to the Philips Consumer Electronics Co. corporate office in Knoxville, TN serving in the Sales and Product Training Department. Moving from national trainer, coordinator, and manager, to Director of Sales & Product Training Department, he retired in 1998 to become a full-time caretaker for his wife Kathie. After retirement, Bob devoted his time to caring for Kathie, but also found time to support the New Heart Society, a local organ transplant support group, and Parent Place, a ministry for supervised visitation of children, Division of Catholic Charities, where the children called him “Mr. Bob.” He was also active in the Knights of Columbus, serving as Grand Knight for a period. His experience as a caregiver prompted the creation of his seminar, “I’m a Caregiver, Now What Do I Do?” This seminar allowed him to present this unique subject to various churches and senior centers throughout the region. His greatest joy was seeing his two daughters, Christine Kimmey, Lambertville, MI, and Diane Burek, Roanoke, VA grow into wonderful, loving mothers and wives along with his four grandchildren, Nicholas and Evan Kimmey, Emily and Julia Burek along with sons-in-law Rick Kimmey and Paul Burek. He is also survived by his fiancé, Joan F. Brink, of Knoxville, TN, brother Edward Coyne, of Stratford, CT. Also, surviving is Bea Ryan of Sylvania, OH, sister of Kathie, and niece Terri Daniels of Atlanta, GA. A Funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday at All Saints Catholic Church Father Michael Woods Celebrant. The family will receive friends immediately following the Mass in the Church Parish Hall. Private interment will be in the East Tennessee State Veteran’s Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Monastery of the Holy Spirit Retreat House, Attn; Father Tom Francis Building Fund, 2625 Highway 212SW, Conyers, GA 30094-4044. Click Funeral Home Middlebrook Chapel, 9020 Middlebrook Pike is serving the Coyne family. www.clickfh.com
• BOGGAN, Jeff Mitchener,
March 18, 2015
Major, U.S. Marine Corps, Retired, age 78, of Farragut, TN, died March 16, 2015 at his home. Jeff was born in Tupelo, MS, the only child of Jeff Mitchener Boggan, MD, and Louise Ward Boggan. In 1942, the family moved to Ragland, AL. Jeff attended schools in Ragland, the Baylor School in Chattanooga, and the Webb School in Bell Buckle, TN. He graduated from Mississippi State University in September of 1957 and immediately went on active duty in the Marine Corps. Later he spent many years working with the FBI, primarily in Chicago. Jeff was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife, Ann, of the home and daughter, Elizabeth, of Chickamauga, GA. Services will be private. The family would like to extend special thanks to Dr. Bruce Allsop and his assistant, Cherry; Dr. Richard Antonucci and the staff of Tennessee Cancer Specia-lists; and the staff of Avalon Hospice for their kind and compassionate care. Jeff’s wish was that memorial gifts be made to the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, P.O. Box 393, Hohenwald, TN 38462. Click Funeral Home Farragut Chapel, 11915 Kingston Pike is serving the Boggan family. www.clickfh.com
• HARRIS-BOWERS-COOPER, Leilia Ruth,
March 11, 2015
age 94, went home to be with the Lord, March 8, 2015, after a long illness with Alzheimer’s. She was a long-time resident of Englewood, Etowah and most recently Knoxville. She was born on March 23, 1920, in Englewood, Tennessee, and was the youngest of 14 children. Ruth and her late husband, Lester Reed Bowers, were married 44 years and had two children. She remarried Rev. J. Burch Cooper, pastor of various churches in Knox, Blount and McMinn counties. They were married five years until his death. Ruth was an accomplished pianist and continued to play until the final years of her life. Love of music led Ruth to church music ministry. She held many leadership positions such as pianist, organist and choir director in the churches where she belonged. She spent five years at North Etowah Baptist Church directing a full graded choir program, preschool through adult and five years as director of pre-school and children’s Sunday School. Her love of children inspired her to complete her college education and at age 50 earned a BS degree in elementary education from Tennessee Wesleyan College in Athens, TN. She taught 12 years in the Etowah city Schools. She also loved working in her yard and cooking for her family. She was renowned for her Apple Stack Cake. Ruth was preceded in death by great-grandson, Jacob Ryan Arnold and is survived by her children, Sandra Dutton and husband, Douglas of Knoxville, TN; Stephen Bowers and wife, Linda of Bridgewater, VA; grandchildren, Julie Arnold and husband, Steve, of Knoxville, Brian Dutton and wife, Emily, of Seale, AL, Laura Wyant and husband, David, of Richmond, VA, and Reed Bowers and wife, Chelsea, of Lynchburg, VA. She is also survived by six great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.The family would like to express their heartfelt thanks to Little Creek Sanitarium in Knoxville for the 16 months of loving care they provided Ruth. The family will receive friends on March 10 from 12 to 2 p.m. at Bordwine Funeral Home in Etowah. A graveside service will follow at 3 p.m. at McMinn Memory Gardens with Rev. Steve Peek from First Baptist Concord, Knoxville, officiating. Bordwine Funeral Home of Etowah, TN is honored to serve the Bowers-Cooper family and invites you to sign and view the family guestbook at www.bordwinefuneralhome.com.
• REYNOLDS, Mrs. Helen Fields,
February 25, 2015
Funeral services for Mrs. Helen Fields Reynolds, 89, of Farragut, TN, will be held at 1 P.M. on Thursday, February 19, 2015, at Anderson-Upper Cumberland Fu-neral Home in Gainesboro, TN. Burial will follow in the Granville Cemetery in Granville, TN. The family will receive friends on Wednesday from 5 P.M. - 7 P.M., and Thursday from 12 Noon until time of services. She passed away on Monday, February 16, 2015, at Parkwest Medical Center in Knoxville, TN. She was born December 24, 1925, in Jackson County, TN, to the late Paskal Fields and Lennie McBroom Fields. She was married to the late Arnold Reynolds. She was a retired school teacher, and a member of the Granville United Methodist Church. In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by a Brother: Dois Fields. Survivors include two Sons: Pat (Paula) Reynolds of Columbus, GA, and Mike (Barbara) Reynolds of Farragut, TN; three Grandchildren: James (Kaki) Reynolds of Knoxville, TN, John (Shannon) Reynolds of Columbus, GA, and David Reynolds of Ft. Worth, TX; a Great Grandchild: Emma Reynolds of Knoxville, TN; and two Nieces: Kaye Loftis of Bloomington Springs, TN, and Lisa Apple of Gainesboro, TN. The Rev. Jackie Wheeler will officiate at the services. Memorial donations may be made to: the Granville Museum or Granville United Methodist Church by contacting the funeral home.
• HELM, Grant Lee,
January 7, 2015
age 88, of Knoxville, entered his heavenly home on Sunday, January 4, 2015 from his home, surrounded by his family. Grant was of the Baptist faith. He was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. Grant enjoyed a successful 30 year career with TVA before retiring and continued in the nuclear field an additional 11 years. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Virginia Thompson Helm; sons, Stephen Grant Helm and Gary Stewart Helm; daughters and spouses, Teresa Bruse (Richie), Denise Adams (Frederick); grandchildren, Sarah Helm Lucero (Kenny), Dale Helm, Cameron Bruse (Alex), Hayley Bruse, Zachary Adams and Matthew Adams; great-granddaughter, Alexis Lucero; brothers and spouses, Charles Helm (Ceci), Eddie Helm (Sue); sister, Marie Garcia; sister-in-law, Zelma Lea (Thompson) Arnold; several nieces and nephews. Family and friends will gather for Graveside Services at 1 p.m. Thursday, January 8, 2015 at Foster Cemetery in McMinn County. In honor of his military service as a World War II Army Sergeant, full military honors will be conferred. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to UT Medical Center Hospice Services, 2270 Sutherland Ave., Suite 101, Knoxville, Tennessee 37919-2326. Click Funeral Home Farragut Chapel, 11915 Kingston Pike is serving the Helm family. www.clickfh.com
