Mary Ruth Gray Williams
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.
Marie Joyce Richardson (age 70) passed away at home with her husband by her side on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021. She was born on Sept. 29, 1950, in Dayton, Tennessee. She graduated from Meigs County High School in 1968 and earned her undergraduate degree in education and Masters in English from the University of Tennessee in 1976. She continued with post-graduate work just short of earning her doctorate degree in English.
Her career spanned more than 35 years in the Knox County and Blount County school systems, receiving recognition and numerous accolades for her dedication to educating the youth. After retirement, she continued teaching at Pellissippi State Community College until 2012.
Marie was one of a kind with a unique and spirited personality, which her students absolutely loved. Her fun-loving nature captured their hearts and embellished their desire to learn.
She often was described as a tremendously passionate teacher who truly cared about every student, taking great pride in seeing each of them reach their highest potential. She was an avid animal lover who also loved to cook and garden in her spare time. She was an active member of the Knoxville Chapter of the GWFC Ossoli Circle and loved her charity work dearly.
Marie was preceded in death by her parents, Harvey Lester Moon and Margaret Henderson Moon of Decatur; her beloved son, Jason Phillip Lunn, of Knoxville, and her stepdaughter, Kimberly Richardson Lunn of Dixon, Tennessee.
She is survived by her husband, J. Ken Richardson, of Knoxville; daughter, Denise Lunn Mayberry (Richard Mayberry) of Hoover, Alabama; and her stepson, Bryn Richardson (Tara Duncan Richardson) of Knoxville. Marie also is survived by her grandchildren, all of which she absolutely adored: Colton Lunn of Dickson, Richard Mayberry III and Jackson Mayberry of Hoover, Beau Richardson and Hailey Richardson of Knoxville; her sister, Betty Hickman of Decatur; and her beloved pets, Tiger, Double Stuff, Cougar Kitties and Bogey Doggie.
A private ceremony was held at Click Funeral Home, Farragut, on Feb. 22. Memorial gifts in honor of Marie may be made to Young Williams Animal Shelter, c/o 3201 Division St., Knoxville, TN 37919.
The Rev. Jack L. Redmond, 82, of Lenoir City, Tennessee, passed away Jan. 25, 2021.
He was a member of RIO Central Church in Maryville, Tennessee. He graduated from Farragut High School, University of Tennessee and Tennessee Tech with an Advanced Ed.S degree. Jack served in the U.S. Navy for eight years, with two years active duty on the U.S.S. Robinson as a yeoman’s mate. He served as a senior pastor of three churches and was an elementary school music teacher for more than 20 years.
Jack was preceded in death by his parents, George L. and Vola Wheeler Redmond; and brothers, Tom Wheeler, Charles Wheeler and Robert Redmond, all from Lenoir City.
Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Suzanne Clevenger Redmond; daughter, Janette Redmond Walker and her husband, Chuck, of Knoxville, Tennessee; daughter, Melody Redmond Cotner of Lenoir City and son, Wendell Redmond and his wife, Jinni of Lenoir City.
Survivors also include grandsons, Grant Redmond and wife, Tiffany of Maryville, Chesney Redmond and wife, Lexie of Maryville and Elijah Redmond of Lenoir City; great-granddaughters, Mayla and Audrey; sister, Edith Jackson and husband, Dean of Knoxville; brother, Charlie T. Redmond and wife, Emmy of Maryville; and several nieces and nephews.
Family and friends gathered at 11 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 30, 2021, for graveside services at Dixie Lee Baptist Cemetery, 14650 Old Stage Road, Lenoir City, with the Rev. Tommy Roberts officiating.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to RIO Central Missions, 370 South Long Hollow Road, Maryville, Tennessee 37801. Click Funeral Home, 109 Walnut St. in Lenoir City, was in charge of arrangements www.clickfuneralhome.com/.
Millard Gene Shirley, age 87, passed away Jan. 26, 2021, at his home in Farragut, Tennessee.
Born in Springfield, Kentucky, he attended the University of Kentucky on a football scholarship in 1951 and played two years for a legendary coach before transferring to Western Kentucky. He excelled on the Hilltoppers football field, enrolled in the Air Force ROTC program and earned his bachelor’s degree.
Millard served 20 years in the United States Air Force specializing in radar defense and ballistic missiles early warning systems. He retired in 1975 as a lieutenant colonel with memorable tours in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas; King Salmon, Alaska; Lincoln, Nebraska; Cheyenne Mountain and Denver, Colorado; Tampa, Florida; Woomera, Australia; and his favorite, Thule, Greenland. He later worked for McDonnell Douglas and Martin Marietta as an aerospace engineer, which sent him back to Thule. He also earned two master’s degrees from the University of Northern Colorado and Regis College.
Millard was a true gentleman, fully dedicated to his family and an avid runner for more than 50 years. He will be remembered for his generosity, quiet sense of humor, love of good food and a polar bear collection reflective of his time in the Arctic. Millard was a nomad with more than 39 residential moves around the world, the most recent being to Huntington Beach, California, and Palm Coast/Jacksonville, Florida.
He was preceded in death by his parents, R.C. and Mary Agnes Shirley. He is survived by his beloved wife and faithful companion of 63 years, Sue Shirley; son, Mark (Trang) Shirley of San Jose, California; daughter, Sabrina (Paul) Houston of Lenoir City, Tennessee; brother, Dr. William C. (Diane) Shirley of Columbus, Georgia; sister, Norma Maxine Sutton of Lexington, Kentucky; several nieces and nephews and their families; and three grand-dogs.
A tremendous thank you for the support from family and friends, the Villages of Farragut and the University of Tennessee Hospice staff.
Visitation will be from 3 to 5 p.m., Monday, Feb. 8, at Click Funeral Home in Farragut. Masks and social distancing are required. A private family military burial service will be held at the East Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery in Knoxville, Tennessee, at 2 p.m., Feb. 9, 2021.
The family requests donations be made in his memory to Billy Graham Evangelistic Association https://billygraham.org ; Disabled American Veterans https://www.dav.org/ ; or Shangri-La Therapeutic Academy of Riding (STAR) https://www.rideatstar.org/.
Farragut resident Joseph Gillette died Jan. 20, 2021, at Parkwest Medical Center following an illness at age 79.
He was born Dec. 3, 1941 in Ilion, New York, to Charles and Nora Gillette. Joe served in the U. S. Air Force as a young adult and later moved to Tennessee in 1976, where he had a 41-year career at Unisys Corporation.
He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Pamela, his daughter, Melanie Rucker and her husband, Mike; and his sons, Chris and Mike and their wives, Roberta and Kim.
He also leaves behind nine grandchildren and one great-grandson.
Joe was passionate about his family, supporting all their endeavors, and was always there to cheer them on. He also was an avid sports fan and could always be found at the Farragut baseball field any time a game was scheduled.
He was a lifelong New York Giants and Yankees fan. Joe loved being outdoors.You could always find him working in his yard or sitting on the porch greeting folks passing by.
In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate consideration of a donation to the Thompson Cancer Survival Center (covenanthealthgiving.org).
The funeral service will be held Saturday, Feb. 6, at Click Funeral Home Farragut. Gathering of friends and family will be from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., with the memorial service at 2:30 p.m.
Masks mandatory at the request of the family.
A graveside service to follow is for immediate family only.
Donald Wayne Campbell, age 76, of Lenoir City, Tennessee, passed away Friday, Jan. 1, 2021. Don was a member of Blairland Baptist Church in Loudon. He grew up in Farragut and graduated from Farragut High School in 1963.
Don was a veteran of the Army National Guard. He retired from LCUB. Don loved his old red Chevelle and all hot rod cars. Don was a friend to everyone.
Preceded in death by his parents, William P. and Bonnie Campbell; and brother-in-law, Jack Morton.
Survivors include his wife, Sue Morton Campbell; daughter, Kristi Campbell Clenney and her husband, Chad; sister, Gail Garner and her husband, David; sister-in law, Carolyn Morton; special aunt, Gladys Campbell; several nieces and nephews with special great niece and great nephew Noah and Halle Morton.
Friends may come by Click Funeral Home in Lenoir City, which is in charge of arrangements, anytime between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Friday, Jan. 8, 2021.
Family and friends will gather beginning at 11 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021, for graveside services at Hickory Valley Cemetery, with the Rev. Jon Henson officiating.
A tremendous thank you to the staff at The Lantern in Lenoir City who lovingly cared for Don on a day-to-day basis.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Blairland Baptist Church, 730 Steekee Road, Loudon, TN 37774.
Also visit www.clickfuneralhome.com for more information.
Dr. Bill Joe Swan, 89, passed away Saturday, Dec. 26, 2020, after years of declining health due to Parkinson’s disease at The Gardens of Taylor Glen in Concord. North Carolina.
A private funeral service was scheduled for 2 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020, at Lady’s Funeral Home Chapel. Pastor Steve Hargett officiated. Interment followed at Carolina Memorial Park Mausoleum in Kannapolis. The service was streamed starting approximately 10 minutes prior to the service. Visit https://www.ladysfuneralhome.com/live/
Bill was born Aug. 6, 1931, in Martel, Tennessee. He was a son of the late Paul Watt Swan and Mildred Russell Fox Swan. He graduated from Farragut High School in 1949 and attended the University of Tennessee in Knoxville for two years.
He then entered the University of Tennessee Medical School in Memphis. While he was in medical school, he was elected president of his medical class, president of the All Students Club and president of his medical fraternity, Alpha Kappa Kappa. He graduated with his medical degree in 1954. After graduation, he moved to Shreveport, Louisiana, for his internship at Confederate Memorial Hospital. He married Lillian Bevins on Oct. 8, 1955, in Concord, Tennessee. They enjoyed 65 years of marriage.
Bill’s medical career began in Hammond, Louisiana, where he worked at Lallie Kamp Hospital. He was then drafted as a captain into the U.S. Army Medical Corps, where he served two years as an anesthesiologist at Valley Forge Army Hospital in Pennsylvania and at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
Following his military service, he completed a two-year residency in anesthesiology at Ohio State University. In 1960, he came to Concord, North Carolina, to practice anesthesia at Cabarrus Memorial Hospital. He cared for many patients in the 29 years he served there. Having passed the required examinations, Bill became board-certified in anesthesiology. He served terms as president of the Cabarrus Medical Society, as well as the North Carolina Anesthesia Society.
Bill enjoyed working with Boy Scout Troop 3, sponsored by First Presbyterian Church of Concord. He was inducted into the Order of the Arrow and was awarded the Silver Beaver for his volunteer service. He was grateful that his two sons became Eagle Scouts.
He worshipped at Concord First Assembly where he was a longtime member. He served on the Church Steering Committee and as chairman of First Assembly School Board. He memorized and received great comfort from his favorite scripture passage, Psalm 23.
After retirement, he enjoyed golfing, woodworking, making furniture and traveling with his wife. He wrote a copyrighted book, “The Life of a Boy from East Tennessee,” because he wanted his children and grandchildren to have an appreciation for their roots and family background. A copy of the book is in the library at The Gardens of Taylor Glen, where he and his wife had been residents since 2014.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by sister, Barbara Swan Guinn; and brother, Paul Russell Swan.
Dr. Swan is survived by three children, Brenda Swan Hammill (Curt) of Burke, Virginia, retired U.S. Navy Capt. Kenneth Allan Swan (Karen) of Yorktown, Virginia, and Paul Robert Swan (Lisa) of Mount Gilead, North Carolina; 11 grandchildren, Kristyn Swan Beam (Andrew), Wesley Swan, Brandon Swan (Cara), Travis Hammill (Rachel), Katie Swan Hickey (Robert), Masha Swan (Carlos), Austin Swan (Sara), Kendall Swan, Maggie Swan (Alex), Carson Hammill and Quinton Swan; and six great-grandchildren, Cillian, Vitaly, Amalia, Katerina, Hallie and Rowan.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Multiply Church (formerly Concord First Assembly), 150 Warren C. Coleman Blvd. N, Concord, North Carolina, 28027 (https://multiply.church/concord/).
Taylor Glen provided such loving care for Bill in his last days. The family is grateful for the kindness and dignity the staff afforded Bill.
Remembrances may be sent to the family at www.ladysfuneralhome.com.
