Areties Housely McKamey
Mrs. Areties Housely McKamey of Clinton, Tennessee, went to be with the Lord on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, at the age of 100.
She was born Jan. 23, 1925, in the Walnut Grove community near LaFollette, Tennessee, to Una Theodore Housely and Magnolia Robbins. Her family lived on 200 acres along the Powell River, which was inundated by Norris Lake in 1936.
At 16, Mrs. McKamey began working as a telephone operator in LaFollette. In 1943, at the age of 18, she joined the Clinton Engineering Works as a switchboard operator on the Manhattan Project in Oak Ridge. She later retired in 1989 as chief switchboard operator at Martin Marietta Corp.
Her lifelong hobby and passion was cooking and baking for all of those around her. She was well known for her recipes and sourdough bread. She was an unwavering believer in Christ, and lived out her faith through her hands of service and heart of devotion.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Lon McKamey, and her sisters, Helen Mills, Hazel Adkins, Hester Dowell and Jean Morgan.
She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Steve and Melani McKamey of Tullahoma, Tennessee; and her grandchildren, William Kenneth McKamey of Tullahoma, Margaret McKamey, Skip York and Deveraux Areties McKamey, all of Clinton, Tennessee, Lissa McKamey of Alexandria, Virginia, and Francis Lonnie McKamey of Taft, Tennessee. She has loved and been loved by countless friends and family, many of whom preceded her and others who grieve her passing.
Visitation was held from 4 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12, at Weatherford Chapel in Oak Ridge. A graveside service followed at 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 13, at Woodhaven Memorial Gardens on Edgemoor Road in Powell, Tennessee.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials or donations be made to a local church or a favorite church in her honor.
