Ronald Edwin Parkinson
Ronald Edwin Parkinson Sr., 85, of Knoxville, passed away Friday, Aug. 6, 2021. Ron was born in Columbus, Ohio, to the late Warren Parkinson and Lucille Gibson Parkinson.
Ron graduated from The Ohio State University and began a career in sales and marketing. He married Barbara Jo Summers, and they had two children, Cindy and Ron Jr.
He was a single engine aircraft pilot and served as a Combat Air Crew Member, Electronic Counter Measures in the United States Naval Reserves for eight years.
Some of Ron’s fondest memories were participating in Cub Scouts with his mother and brother, Boy Scout camping with his father and brother, sharing anniversaries with his wife, flying small aircraft with his son, and swim meets with his daughter.
He had many accomplishments over the years: Eagle Scout with Order of the Arrow; Master Councilor of DeMolay Columbus Chapter; president and board member of the National Wood Flooring Association; vice president and National Sales manager for Hartco Wood Flooring; vice president of marketing and member of Knoxville Symphony Board; HDI board member at St. Mary’s Hospital; Cokesbury United Methodist Church finance chairman for four years, chairman of the administrative board for nine years and choir member since 1981; director of First National Bank of Oneida serving various committees since 1985; and a six-year board member of Wesley House Community Center.
Ron mostly enjoyed flying airplanes, boating with his family and singing in the church choir.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Warren and Lucille Parkinson. Ron is survived by his loving wife of 60 years, Barbara Parkinson; daughter, Cindy Webb and husband, Rod, of Atlanta, Georgia; son, Ron Parkinson Jr.; grandchildren, Cody, Raleigh and Zoe Webb; brother, James Parkinson and wife, Doris, of Malta, Ohio; and nieces, nephews and friends.
Ron’s family will gather with friends for a Memorial Service at 2 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021 at Cokesbury United Methodist Church, 9919 Kingston Pike, Knoxville.
In lieu of flowers, donations should be made to Wesley House Community Center, Susannah’s House or Cokesbury Church South Side Music Dept.
On June 30, 2021, Stephen Harrington Stow, age 80, walked through the gates and began asking God questions about how in the hell he got there.
Steve was a graduate of Vanderbilt University and earned his MS and PhD degrees in geochemistry from Rice University. He worked for Continental Oil Company early in his career, and then taught geology at the University of Alabama during the years of Coach “Bear” Bryant. In 1980 he moved to Oak Ridge National Laboratory as Head of the Geology Department, and later became Ethics Director for the institution.
Steve retired in 2005 after serving as director of the Oak Ridge Museum of Science and Energy.
As a longstanding member, he was treasurer of the National Geological Society of America and a
member of the Knoxville Philatelic (Stamp Society). Steve served as ORNL’s ombudsman and also was a Fellow of
the Advancement of Science and Geological Society of America.
He was a nationally known authority on the Manhattan Project and occasionally wore a suit and hat from that era for his animated lectures on this subject.
Steve was instrumental in documenting the history of ORNL, recording interviews with many of the notable scientists who had worked there.
Locally, Steve also served on several committees within the Farragut Community, most notably as president of the Farragut Museum.
He also was instrumental in the production of the History of Farragut film, interviewing and recording of many persons involved in the formation of Farragut.
Dr. Stow is survived by his wife, Jeanie Chaney Stow; daughters, Lauren Simpson and Jennifer Stow; stepson, Matt Chaney (Jen); grandchildren, Regan, Piersen and Mac Simpson, and Juliana and Maggie Chaney; sister, Cynthia Yancey; and many lifelong friends.
Steve was one of a kind with a dry sense of humor ... he was famous for saying, “When I get around to it...,” although he never did. Everyone who met him loved him.
A Celebration of Life will be held from 2 to 5 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 28, at Farragut Community Center, 239 Jamestowne Blvd. in Farragut. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Museum of Science & Energy or the Farragut Museum.
in a car accident. He was 67.
Judd is survived by three daughters: Erin Buckingham (Travis), Carlsbad, California; Mollie Davis (Justin) of Tampa; Ana Shaw of Atlanta; a granddaughter, Haley Davis, and grandson, Henry Davis. Also left to grieve are a brother, Jeff Shaw (Holly) of Dallas; a sister, Becky Shaw, of Louisville; and many cousins from coast to coast.
He was born to Martha Jane and Jerry Shaw in New Orleans and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. Judd made many life-long friends in Louisville and was fortunate to graduate from Ballard High School’s first graduation class.
To the chagrin of his Knoxville friends, Judd attended the University of Kentucky. At graduation, Judd was presented the Algernon Sidney Sullivan Award given to individuals based on “such characteristics of heart, mind and conduct” and “a spirit of love for, and helpfulness to, other men and women.” In true fashion, Judd deflected this recognition to his Sigma Chi brothers and his sister, Becky, for signing him up for everything they were involved with.
Judd followed his call to honor Christ by attending Columbia Presbyterian Seminary and graduating with a Master’s of Divinity degree in 1980.
Judd and his wife, Joy, began their ministry at First Presbyterian Church in Ripley, Tennessee.
His family then moved to a larger congregation at Farragut Presbyterian in Farragut. He loved and cherished the people of this church and they reciprocated by serving God together for 20 years.
God moved Judd to the Presbytery of New Harmony as Presbyterian Executive in Florence, South Carolina. Judd treasured the people, chocolate-covered pecans and Low Country food, but returned to Knoxville, his Smokies, the opportunity to wear UK Blue at UT games, fishing buddies and being a pastor to the pastors of The Presbytery of East Tennessee.
Judd found immense joy in helping and encouraging others, mentoring, laughing, eating, his new hobby photography and his children and grandchildren. The family has been deeply moved by those who have offered kind words and who have shared remembrances of their time with Judd.
Thanks be to God for Judd’s life on Earth and his new life in heaven, where he is now in the loving arms of Christ Jesus – a love that never gives up and that comes to those who don’t deserve it, no matter who we are or what we’ve done.
A celebration of Judd’s life will be held at Farragut Presbyterian Church beginning at 4 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 15, 2021, with visitation beginning at 2:30 p.m. Contributions in Judd’s memory may be made to John Knox Center, 591 West Rockwood Ferry Road, Ten Mile, Tennessee 37880.
Maria Seyler Peach, age 81, of Knoxville passed away peacefully Wednesday evening, May 5, 2021, at Tennova Turkey Creek Medical Center.
Maria was a member of Union Cumberland Presbyterian Church. She was a prayer warrior, loved visiting those in need, had the gifts of hospitality and encouragement and was never too busy to stop whatever she was doing and help others.
Maria loved the beach, traveling and spending time with her husband, children, grandchildren and friends.
She was 100 percent devoted to serving the Lord and sharing the way to salvation and eternal life with Jesus, God the Father and our loved ones through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Maria was continually refreshed and renewed by reading scriptures, studying the Bible and worshipping the Lord in prayer and song. She was always sharing encouraging words and uplifting scriptures with her husband, children, grandchildren and friends.
Maria is preceded in death by her children’s father and friend, Richard H. Seyler Sr., and first grandson, Elijah Blue Seyler. She is survived by her husband, the Rev. John H. Peach; children, Harry Seyler and wife, Maria, Tracey Seyler, Deborah Seyler and Richard H. Seyler Jr. and wife, Heidi; seven grandchildren: Sabrina, Ricky, Jessica, Ryan, Jarid, Rachel and Alaina; six great-grandchildren; brothers, Thomas Wilson and Dennis McReynolds; and several nieces and nephews. Maria also considered Joe Hasselberger as her own.
The family received friends from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., Sunday, May 16, at Click Funeral Home Farragut Chapel. A Celebration of Life followed at 2:30 p.m., with her husband, the Rev. John H. Peach officiating.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to build a children’s special needs playground at Virtue Church. Please send donations to Virtue Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 725 Virtue Road, Knoxville, TN 37934.
Stanley Stokey, 86, of Knoxville, a loving husband, father and grandfather, passed away peacefully April 24. Stan was born May 1, 1934, in Brooklyn. His parents were the late Cyril and Helen Stokey. A true man of God, he faithfully served his country, his community and his church.
Stan served his country in the Army during the Korean War, as well as the Merchant Marines. During the time with the Merchant Marine he developed a love of travel that he kept throughout his life. He later graduated from Vanderbilt University with a masters degree in City Planning.
Stan dedicated his life’s work through serving the community. He made the region a better place to work, live and raise a family for more than 30 years as a City Planner with Tennessee Valley Authority. He developed a ride-share and express-bus system for TVA during his tenure. He was a member of President Jimmy Carter’s Transportation Task Force and attended both President Carter’s and President Bill Clinton’s Inaugurations.
Stan truly had a servant’s heart. He served his church in many capacities. He was a Trustee for Cokesbury United Methodist Church. He turned retirement into a passion to serve others through Manna House, the church food pantry. There was no child left without Stan registering them for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, the non-profit free book-gifting program providing much-needed books to children. He was happiest when serving others.
Stan is survived by his wife, Diana; children, Paul Stokey and wife, Michele, Edward Stokey and wife, Cheryl, Dennis Sprous, Douglas Sprous, Darla DeRosa and husband, Michael; along with a host of adored grandchildren. The family would like to thank Michael DeRosa for the love and encouragement he shared with Stan in his later years. Stan lives on in the gifts of humility, true kindness and warmth given freely to all he came in contact with.
Consider a gift to Cokesbury UMC in Stan’s memory. Condolences can be left at https://www.dogwoodcremations.com/stanley-stokey. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date with burial at the Veterans Cemetery.
Cynthia Ann “Cindy” McDeavitt, age 67, of Farragut, Tennessee, passed away on Tuesday, April 20, 2021, at her home surrounded by her family.
Cindy was born in Versailles, Missouri, on June 13, 1953, to James F. Curtman and Doll Baby (Dolly) Whitten. She officially retired from Gables & Gates Realtors on Jan. 1, 2021, after 10 years of service. Cindy was an active member of Random Acts of Flowers; various local quilting guilds; our local AMVETS; the Knoxville Humane Society; and our local area Habitat for Humanity.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brother, Steven Curtman.
Cindy is survived by her husband of 44 years, Dennis P. McDeavitt, PE; her children, Ryan McDeavitt of Knoxville, and James McDeavitt and wife, Dr. Patricia McDeavitt, of Charleston, South Carolina; and daughter, Katie (McDeavitt) Kouri and husband, Dale Kouri, of Knoxville; and her precious grandson, Dylan Kouri; her brother, Robert Curtman; and brother-in-law, Randall McDeavitt of Albuquerque, New Mexico.
A Celebration of Life for Cindy will be held at a later date this year, which has yet to be determined.
In lieu of flowers, please feel free to make memorial donations for ovarian cancer in care of the American Cancer Society or any of the aforementioned charitable organizations important to Cindy.
Mary Ruth Gray Williams, age 96, of Farragut went peacefully to be with our Lord on Thursday afternoon, April 15, 2021, at her home in Lenoir City.
Mary Ruth was a member of Creighton Memorial Baptist Church, a charter member of First Baptist Church Concord and served many positions with her church family. Mary Ruth Gray married Dick on Feb. 20, 1944. She was an Administrative assistant at Oak Ridge National Laboratory for many years and later was secretary to the Music Ministry at Concord Baptist. Mary Ruth found her greatest joy loving her family, but her first love was her Lord Jesus Christ. She was an expert knitter, loved to crochet and enjoyed traveling with family.
She is preceded in death by her husband of 71 years, Dick (Emmett Wesley) Williams; son, David Wesley Williams; parents, Clarence Gray and Ethel Amos Gray; brother, Bill Gray; and sister, Margaret Gray Blackburn.
Mary Ruth is survived by her daughter, Linda Williams Loy; granddaughter, Kerry Loy Winter and her husband, David; and great-grandson, Jackson; grandchildren, Lori (Denton) Williams Lesslie, Kip Williams and their mother, Cheryl; great-grandchildren, Will and Hollie Lesslie; nieces, Beverly Williams Stypula and Lisa (Jeff) Blackburn Ogle; and nephews, Michael (Rachel) Gray, Ron (Barbara) Gray, Steve (Patsy) Williams and Ronnie Williams.
The family will receive friends from 12 to 1 p.m., Saturday, April 24, at First Baptist Concord Chapel, with a Celebration of Life Service to follow at 1 p.m., with Chaplain Herb Hinsch and Fulton Hartzog officiating. Interment will follow at Pleasant Forest Cemetery with Steve Williams, Michael Gray, Jeff Ogle and Fulton Hartzog serving as pall bearers.
The Williams family would like to thank the wonderful team at Covenant Hospice for their loving care of Mary Ruth. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Mission of Hope, missionofhope.org or to First Baptist Church Concord Prayer Ministry, 11704 Kingston Pike, Farragut, TN 37934. Click Funeral Home Farragut Chapel, 11915 Kingston Pike, serves the Williams family.
Caroline Hubbard Woodring, 89, formerly of Farragut, died Dec. 16, 2020, of COVID-19 pneumonia at Parkwest Medical Center. She was a resident of Elmcroft Assisted Living with her husband, Diedrich Francis (Dick) Woodring.
Born on April 15, 1931, in Tampa, Florida, to Dr. Roscoe Conkling Hubbard and Pearl Harrison Hubbard, Caroline grew up in Bushnell, Florida, with five sisters (Ann, Ruth, Elizabeth, Lela and Margaret) and two brothers (Eugene and William). Along with her twin sister, Margaret, Caroline was the high school co-valedictorian.
She married Dick, an aeronautical engineer, on June 19, 1955, in Bushnell, and they lived in Hollywood, California, and Marietta, Georgia, for a short time, and in Huntsville, Alabama, for 17 years before moving to Farragut in 1975. Dick and Caroline had first met as neighborhood children in Tampa before their families moved to different cities, later meeting again as young adults in Gainesville, Florida.
In Huntsville, Caroline volunteered in her children’s schools and was office manager for the city schools system main office. In December 1991, she retired as office manager of Cumberland Securities, an investment banking firm in Knoxville. Caroline was active and held several offices in gardening organizations, including Green Thumb Garden Club in Huntsville and Village Green Garden Club in Farragut. She had been treasurer of the Knox County Council of Garden Clubs and chairman of its annual Spring Garden Festival at Franklin Square.
She also had been on the Board of Governors of Ivan Racheff House and Gardens, headquarters of the Tennessee Federation of Garden Clubs.
At home, Caroline and Dick enjoyed flower gardening and landscaping, and their yard was sometimes a camera site on a Dogwood Trail. For many years, they adorned the entrances of the Village Green subdivision with seasonal decorations and planted and maintained flowers, shrubs and trees there.
Caroline was a member of Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church and the Sojourner and Emmaus Sunday school classes. She was interested in her family’s history and conducted genealogical research in other states. After retiring, she and Dick traveled frequently and particularly enjoyed visiting family throughout the South.
In addition to her husband, Caroline is survived by three children, Marsha W. Marsh of Knoxville, Diedra (Dede) Woodring of Atlanta, Georgia, and Harry C. Woodring of Marietta; three grandchildren, Claire Woodring Burtle of Marietta, George H. Woodring of Atlanta and Amanda Caroline Marsh of Kingston; one great-grandson, James Burtle of Marietta; twin sister, Margaret Van De Graaf of Austin, Texas; son-in-law, Thomas (Tom) Marsh; daughter-in-law, Brenda Feeney Woodring; grandson-in-law, Thomas Burtle; brother-in-law, William (Bill) Van De Graaf; and many nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held at Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church at a later date when it is safe to gather. Memorial contributions may be made to Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church, 9132 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37923, or to Ivan Racheff House and Gardens, P.O. Box 50185, Knoxville, TN 37950-0185.
Click Funeral Home Farragut Chapel is handling the arrangements.
