PATRICIA ANN GAYLOR THURMAN
February 28, 2022
Patricia Ann Gaylor Thurman traded this earthly home for her eternal one late Monday evening Feb. 28, 2022.
She finished life’s race cheered on by her loving children. If you are reading this brief summary of a life well lived and a battle hard fought with tears in your eyes, then you are probably one of the countless people whose lives were touched by and prayed for as a result of knowing this strong faithful woman of God. There is actually a good chance that if you even knew someone who knew Pat, as she was called by her friends, or Nana or Mom, as she was known by her family, then you too have been uplifted in prayer. That was what she did, she PRAYED.
In addition to her legacy of strong faith, hope and love, she leaves behind the legacy of family, those who knew and loved her best.
She is survived by: Children, Linda Thurman Pash and husband Carl from Colorado Springs, Col., Lori Thurman Pyle and husband Jeff from Cartersville, Ga., Leah Thurman Roberts and husband Mark from Cartersville, Ga. Louis Thurman and wife Jennifer from Milton, Ga.; grandchildren, Alexandria Sangid and husband Todd from Maryville, Emilee Osborne and husband Seth. Keller Pyle, Mackenzie Conway and husband Kalep, Cade Roberts and partner Samantha DeLucca, Madeline, Ella, and Claire Thurman; sister-in-law, Carleen Thurman; many nieces, nephews, extended family, as well as many dear friends and fellow prayer warriors.
She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 35 years, Luther Thurman Jr.
Receiving of friends will be from 5 – 7 p.m. Friday. March 4, 2022, at Holley Gamble Funeral Home.
Funeral services and a celebration of life will be held at Norris First Baptist Church at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, March 5, 2022, with David Seiber officiating, followed by internment at Norris Memorial Gardens.
Holley Gamble Funeral Home in Clinton is in charge of all arrangements.
holleygamble.com
KEITH HARMAN
February 28, 2022
It is with the most sadness that we have to announce that Keith Harman has passed.
At the age of 44, Keith was loved by many. The hearts of many are torn, but Keith is finally at peace with his already deceased mother (Karen Sue) and father (Keith Harman Sr.).
Left behind are: Daughter, Kayla Harman; and brothers, Darrell, Daniel, Martin, and Tony.
In life, Keith’s best friend was his brother, Tony Bradley, and father figure from a young age, Martin Bradley.
The family will receive friends from 4–5 p.m. Saturday, March 12, 2022, at Holley-Gamble Funeral Home in Clinton.
Thank you for all of the love and condolences. It means so very much to the family.
He will be missed, but this is far from the end for him.
Holley-Gamble Funeral Home in Clinton is in charge of all arrangements.
holleygamble.com
JAY COLEMAN KNEPPER, PhD
February 27, 2022
Jay Coleman Knepper, PhD, died Feb. 27, 2022, in Andersonville at the age of 79.
Jay is survived by: Wife, Mary; and two children, Bradley Knepper and his wife Alisa and their two children Eva and Toren of Denver, Col., and Claire Knepper Phillips and her son Eliano of Lyons, Col.; his brother, David, preceded him in death; his brother Mark and wife Bobbi live in Virginia Beach, Va.
Jay was born Jan. 11, 1943, in Johnstown, Penn., to Jay and Margaret Knepper. He earned his PhD in chemical engineering from Princeton University. He was awarded several patents for his work at Sun Oil and Amoco/BP. His research at Amoco/BP contributed to refining optimization, including an in-situ retorting process to recover oil from oil shale in an economical, efficient, and environmentally improved way. Later in his career, he worked in marketing, using AI and neural networks to locate gas station sites. After leaving Amoco/BP, he supported Mary’s consulting business, working as both CFO and consultant.
After he retired, he and Mary moved from Naperville, Ill., to their home in Andersonville, where Jay pursued his passion for photography, woodworking, brewing, baking sourdough bread, and perfect roasting of coffee beans. His approach to projects was intense study of the details and respect for and comparison of experts’ advice. He would acquire that extra tool or device to ensure a quality project or to achieve process efficiency.
Many were happy recipients of his craftsmanship — from large and small pieces of furniture and loaves of bread to beers he created and named specifically for friends’ special occasions. He was generous with his time and possessions, willing to loan and donate equipment to all comers. He committed to tutoring students in calculus to help them achieve university scholarships in an intense extracurricular program. He was committed to social justice, the environment, socially responsible corporations, animal welfare, and care for disadvantaged persons in whatever circumstance.
He was a loving and supportive father to his children. He found joy in sharing time with family and friends, expressing his love with warm laughter, playful humor, and enthusiastic embraces. He reveled in deep discussions with compassion, kindness, and gentleness. The sequestering that COVID imposed was a great loss to him, yet he found meaning and deepening appreciation in the loss.
He enjoyed travel, including trips to Hong Kong, Great Britain, Poland, Greece, India, Russia, France, and Italy. He was a great biker, biking daily to work in Denver. Later, he and Mary biked Rails to Trails in the States and through Provence, France, and from Banff to Jasper in the Canadian Rockies.
Celebrations of life will be held in Grove City, Penn.,, at his parents’ gravesite for immediate family and in the Norris area with a life celebration at a future date.
Memorial gifts can be sent to local charities, including the Norris Area Food Pantry (PO Box 327, Norris, TN 37716), Bridge Refugee Services, Volunteer Ministries, Second Harvest of ET, Africa ELI, WUOT, or to Best Friends, Doctors Without Borders, Audubon Society, Physicians Committee, and Corporate Accountability. In short, if an organization does good for the world, your gift will honor what Jay tried to do with his life. www.holleygamble.com
ETHEL 'JANE' WILSON BOGGS
February 26, 2022
Ethel “Jane” Wilson Boggs, 87, Rocky Top, passed from this world to enter her Heavenly home Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022.
Jane was born at home in Coal Creek Feb. 1, 1935, to Godly parents, Luther C. and Mary Hatmaker Wilson. She spent all her growing up years in Lake City, the oldest of four children. Jane graduated from Lake City High School where she met and later married her sweetheart of 62 years, Charles “C.W.” Boggs.
As a young child, Jane came to know that Jesus Christ was her Lord and Savior. She was baptized at the age of 13, became a member of Main Street Baptist Church and began to serve The Lord with gladness! Jane taught and cared for the little ones, the teens, the bereaved and the benevolent. She was a faithful servant who worked in her church, planning, organizing and facilitating in every area of church business. She officially stopped serving as church treasurer in 2016, but was still overseeing communion services as long as her body would let her. Jane had a selfless, forgiving, generous, continually-nurturing and compassionate nature. She was happiest when she was serving others, socializing and surrounded by family and friends. On the fun side, Jane was well known for her sweet, sassy, witty, humor-filled spirit. Everywhere she went, she left others feeling loved and valued from simply being with her. For years, Jane loved serving the people in the Lake City community as she worked in her family- owned store, Wilson’s Grocery. Later, she continued making her mark on the community as she worked in Lake City and Clinton banks for over 25 years. Jane is preceded in death by her parents and her husband.
She is survived by: Daughter, Denise (Mitch) Dougherty of Rocky Top and her son Matthew (Becky) Boggs of Fayetteville, Ga.; grandsons, Chad Johnson, Travis (Brandy) Miller, Joseph (Frances-Lee) Dougherty, Nicholas and Noah Boggs, Duncan Moore; granddaughter, Lori Miller; great-grandchildren, Haylynn, Grace, Leigh and Riley; siblings, Barbara Lee of Oak Ridge, Mary Lynn (Alex) Foust of Knoxville, L.C. (Susie) Wilson of Oak Ridge; beloved nieces and nephews that dearly loved their “Aunt Jane;” one very special friend that is considered to be another sister, Sue Leach; numerous other friends and relatives, caretaker, Pat White, and nurses from Amedysis Home Health for the loving care and dedication shown while providing in-home care for Jane family the past few months.
The family requests that memorials be made “In Memory of Jane Boggs,” to Main Street Baptist Church, P.O. Box 405, Rocky Top, TN. 37769.
Visitation will be held from 6 – 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 2, 2022, at Main Street Baptist Church, Rocky Top.
Funeral service will follow at 8 p.m. with Pastor and honorary son, Wayne Phillips, to officiate.
Family and friends will meet at 10:15 a.m. Thursday, March 3, 2022, at Hatmaker Funeral Home to go in procession to the Oak Grove Cemetery in Rocky Top for an 11 a.m. interment.
*Masks are encouraged, but not required when attending any of these services.
IRENE PRATT
February 24, 2022
Irene Pratt, 93, Clinton, entered the presence of the Lord Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022.
She was born in Big Greenbriar, Sevier County, in 1928, now Great Smoky Mountains National Park, to Wilce and Alma Rayfield. She was saved in October, 1941, and baptized into Farmer's Grove Baptist Church on Mother's Day, May 10, 1942. She was a member of Second Baptist Church, Clinton, and retired from Clinton City Schools.
Irene was preceded in death by: Husband, Paul Pratt; daughter, Libby Shipley; granddaughter, Sara Beth Shipley; sisters, Blanche Tisdale, Beulah Martin and Maxie Rietz.
She is survived by: Daughter, Sheila Crabtree (Ron) of Kingston; son, Eddy Pratt (Benelyn) of Andersonville; son, Dennis Pratt (Betty) of Knoxville; sisters, Mary Brock (Erwin) of Clinton and Glenna Webster (Larry) of Lenoir City; granddaughters, Becky Crabtree (Brian), Jenny Tippens (Cory), Bambi Lambert (Jim), Aneisa Rolen (Curtis); grandson, Paul Pratt; great-grandchildren, Trey and Matthew Barrrett, Noah Crabtree, Colt Letner, Drew, Sam and Hannah Mae Tippens, Cody and Olivia Akers, Alexis Luna, Landry Lambert and Hailey MacDonald; special friend, Judy McKinney; and several nieces and nephews.
The family will receive friends at Holley-Gamble Funeral Home, Clinton from 5 – 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 28, 2022.
Irene’s graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday March 1, 2022, at Woodhaven Memorial Gardens, Edgemoor Road in Claxton.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers donations be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital at www.stjude.org or 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105.
www.holleygamble.com
HYLIA DAVIS
February 23, 2022
Hylia Davis, 91, Powell, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022, at NHC Healthcare of Oak Ridge.
She was a member of Life House Church in Oak Ridge. Throughout her life she loved spending time in the garden, bird watching and also enjoyed reading and studying the Bible.
She was preceded in death by her parents, George and Bonnie Trimble, and six siblings.
She is survived by: Children, Roy Clay Davis and wife Denise of Oliver Springs, Jonathan Allen Davis and wife Betty of Rocky Top, Deborah Lynn Barnes of Claxton, Karen Helton and husband James “Lee” of Claxton, Sharon Ann Alcorn and husband Tim of Oak Ridge; grandchildren, Sonya, Lisa, Kimberly, Jonathan, Jason, Brian, Duncan, and Alex; sister, Ruie Jane Henderson of Danville, Ky.; furry companion, Ben; several great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews
The family will have a graveside service at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022, at Woodhaven Memorial Garden.
Holley Gamble Funeral Home in Clinton is in charge of all arrangements.
holleygamble.com
DOROTHY JO WOODWARD
February 20, 2022
Dorothy Woodward, 85, passed away Sunday, Feb. 20, 2022, at her home in Irving, Texas.
A Tennessee native, she was lovingly welcomed into the home of her son, Neal, and daughter-in-law, Cindy, three years ago. Dorothy was born in Petros April 10, 1936. The family moved to Lake City when she was young, and she attended Lake City High School where she met her future husband, Roy. After their marriage in 1957, she and Roy traveled to many different cities and made friends along the way. For 15 years they lived in Corbin, Ky., where their children attended Lynn Camp High School and where she and Roy were enthusiastic boosters of the school and their children’s activities.
In retirement, they returned to East Tennessee and settled in Clinton. A highlight of those years for Dorothy was reconnecting with old friends from high school and she loved to tell stories of their escapades. She greatly enjoyed the class reunions and the lunches with her friends. Her family and friends will always remember her gentle spirit and love for her family. She frequently expressed her gratitude for her children, son-in-law and daughter-in-law, and granddaughters. Dorothy was also an enthusiastic Tennessee Vols fan and continued to follow them even after moving to Texas.
Dorothy was preceded in death by: Husband of 61 years, Roy Woodward; parents, Mary Ruth and William Martin; and sister, Phyllis Martin.
She is survived by: Brother, Ray Martin; daughter, Robin (Lee) Cravey; son, Neal (Cindy) Woodward; beloved granddaughters, Mary Woodward and Hannah Cravey.
The family is planning a private memorial service at a future date.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society.
GLENNA RUTH FREYTAG
February 20, 2022
Glenna Ruth Freytag, 55, passed away unexpectedly at her home in Oak Ridge Sunday, Feb. 20, 2022.
Glenna was of the Baptist faith, and she loved spending time with her granddaughter.
Glenna is preceded in death by her parents, Jacob and Glenna McCoy.
She is survived by: Sons, Dustin Lowe of Oak Ridge, and Randy Freytag of Wartburg; brother, J.P. McCoy (Shauna) of Rocky Top; sister, Frances Dison (Lynn) of Clinton; granddaughter, Mia Schwab; special friend, Mary Gorman.
The family welcomes friends to join them for a celebration of life in the Chapel of Jones Mortuary from 6 – 8 p.m. Friday, March 4, 2022.
Jones Mortuary, LLC. in Clinton is in charge of arrangements.
