Mary Bowers - Rogersville

ROGERSVILLE — Mary Bowers, 91, of Rogersville, departed this life on Tuesday (Sept. 8, 2009) at Signature Healthcare of Rogersville.
Mrs. Bowers was a member of St. Mark’s Presbyterian Church where she was very active and held many different positions. Mrs. Bowers was a graduate of Swift Memorial Junior College, Rogersville, and Tennessee A&I State University, Nashville. She was a former teacher of Swift Memorial Junior College, Swift High School and Church Hill High School. Mrs. Bowers was a member of the Hawkins County Retired-Rogersville Teachers Association, AKA Sorority and The Black History Association. She was born in Georgia and lived her childhood in Limestone but has made her home in Rogersville for many years.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Harold James Bowers; parents, Jessie and Annie Lou Price; brother, John Henry Price; sisters, Annie R. Rollins, Inez Cole, Dorothy Hamilton, Marie Barner, Barbara Thomas, Bessie Wall, Violet Rollins and Beatrice Sarden.
Survivors include several nieces, nephews and cousins; very special daughter, Chrissy Fugate Johnson; sister-in-law, Norma Jean Bowers.
Calling hours are from noon to 1 p.m. Friday at Broome Funeral Home, Rogersville.
Funeral service will be conducted at 1 p.m. Friday in the funeral home chapel with the Rev. David Light, the Rev. Irving Greene and the Rev. Roy Charles officiating.
Graveside services will be conducted at 3 p.m. Friday at Happy Valley Memorial Park, Elizabethton. Broome Funeral Home, Rogersville, is serving the Bowers family.

Master Sgt. James William Swafford Sr.

KINGSPORT — Master Sgt. James William Swafford Sr, 72, better known as “Sarge” or “Fatz”, went to be with the Lord Sunday morning (Sept. 6, 2009) at Wellmont Holston Valley Hospital and Medical Center. Born in Kingsport March 21, 1938, he graduated from Douglass High School, was employed by Eastman Kodak Company, and Holston Valley Medical Center before attending North Carolina A & T University. He then pursued an outstanding career in the U.S. Army and retired as a Master Sgt. after 26 years of service.
Sarge returned to Kingsport in 1981. He owned and operated “Sarge's Place Restaurant” in the Riverview Community for 31 years. He will be remembered for his famous tank burgers, love dust sauce, and the saying “you don’t need no teeth to eat my beef”.
Sarge was a brother of the Clinch Mountain Lodge Elks #531 and a member of the American Legion Post of Kingsport.
Sarge was a pillar of the Riverview community and will be greatly missed by all that knew him.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Fannie M. Murrell; his father, James E. Swafford; father-in-law, Lowell A. Webb, Sr.; son-in-law, Kirk Grady; and brother-in-law, Fredrick P. Mills, S r.
He is survived by his loving devoted wife of 40 years, Mrs. Olivia Swafford; sons, Eddie Swafford (April), James Swafford, Jr. (Jamie); daughter, Tanya Grady of Delaware; and mother-in-law, Rosemary Webb; sisters-in-law, Sylvia Mills, Lois Lawson, all of Philadelphia, Pa.; brother-in-law, Lowell Webb, Jr. (Evelyn) of Hockessin, Del.; grandchildren, Devaun Swafford, Jalen Grady, Jalen Swafford Burgess, Trahson Swafford White, Kariah Grady, Shadae Swafford, Malaya Swafford, Skysha Swafford, Dru Swafford White, Alanta Swafford, Jaliyah Swafford; one godchild, Nika Tarter; and a host of family and friends.
Visitation will be at the Central Baptist Church, Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. followed by funeral services at 7 p.m. with Rev. Ricardo Dorcean and Rev. Dr. Anthony Daniels officiating the service.
Burial will be Friday at 11 a.m. at Mountain Home Veteran’s Cemetery with military rites by the Tennessee U.S. National Guard. Cortege will depart Central Baptist Church at 10 a.m. Online condolences may be sent to the family at raclarkfuneralservice@yahoo.com. Mr. James William Swafford Sr. and family are in the care of R.A. Clark Funeral Service Inc. (423) 245-4971.

Erma Brown

KINGSPORT — Erma Flack Brown, 95, of Kingsport, went to be with the Lord on Saturday (Aug. 29, 2009) at Holston Valley Medical Center.
She was born in Rutherford County, N.C., and lived here since 1939. She was a member of Grace Temple Apostolic Eternal Life Church in Johnson City.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Simpson O. Brown, Sr.; two daughters, Anita Briscoe Pride and Kaye Brown Gaines; her eldest grandson, Ronald Kinchloe of Detroit, Mich.; her mother, Hattie Forney Flack; and her father, Sandy Flack; five sisters and five brothers, all of whom lived in North Carolina.
Survivors include her four daughters,
Marie Briscoe Kinchloe, Alma Briscoe Blye and husband, Nathan, Janice Brown Brice and Olympia LaVerne Brown Gouge, all of Kingsport; her son, Simpson Ollie Brown, Jr. and wife, Minda, of Winston-Salem, N.C.; four special grandchildren; Anita Brown, Ashley Brown, Maya Brown and Samantha Brown; a host of other grandchildren; a host of greatgrandchildren; three very special friends, Hazel Brice, Carolyn Whelchel, Sister Willie Kate Bradford; and several nieces and nephews.
The family will receive friends from 11 a.m. to noon on Thursday at Carter-Trent Funeral Home, 520 Watauga St., Kingsport and also at the home where she resided the last seven months.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Thursday at Grace Temple Apostolic Eternal Life Church, 208 Garden Drive, Johnson City, Tenn. 37604, with Pastor Mark Redd and Sister Willie Kate Bradford officiating.
Eulogy will be offered by Anita Brown. Music will be provided by Pastor J.L. Grudger. Graveside services will follow at Mountain Home National Cemetery, Mountain Home, Tenn. Pallbearers will be her family and friends, with Shane Carnes and Cornell Blye. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.cartertrent.com. Carter-Trent Funeral Home, downtown Kingsport, is serving the Brown family.

Blanche Lee Harper

Kingsport — Born June 21, 1941 ion Augusta, Arkansas, Blanche Harper, 68 of 1050 Tip Top Avenue, Kingsport departed this life Saturday (August 29, 2009) at Bristol Wellmont Hospice House among her loving family and friends.

Blanche was the daughter of John Henry Bell, Jr. and Theola Dennis Bell. Blanche was a member of Central Baptist Church in Kingsport and her hobbies were quilting, cooking, sewing, cleaning and taking care of her family.

Blanche was married to Joe Harper in 1956 and out of this union, seven children were born. Martha J. Harper, Terry J. Harper, Vincent W. Harper, Melvin L. Harper, Steven J. Harper, Marsha Y. Harper and Duane M. Harper.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Theola Bell, husband Joe Harper, siblings Otis Bell, Jerry L. Bell, Mildred Bell, Grace and nephew Jeffrey G. Clark.

Blanche is survived by her father John H. Bell Sr., James Bell, Joseph Bell, Carolyn Bell Clark, Mary Ann Bell Segova, Ralph Bell, Dorothy Bell, Craig E. Bell, Lisa R. Bell, Christon, Kenneth W. Bell, her children, Martha, Terry, Vincent, Melvin, Steven, Marsha, Duane, daughter-in-law Danielle, 20 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, and a host of other relatives and friends.

Services will be conducted Tuesday, September 1, at 3 PM at the Central Baptist Church with Pastor Ricardo Dorcean officiating. Interment will follow in the Forrest Hill Cemetery, Abingdon, Virginia.

Mrs. Harper and family are in the care of R.A. Clark Funeral Service, Inc. 423-245-4971.

Essie B. Long

CHURCH HILL — Essie B. Long, of 153 Hoard Lane, Church Hill, departed this life at 10:25 a.m. Saturday (Aug. 22, 2009).
Mrs. Long was a lifelong resident of Hawkins County and a retired private home housekeeper.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Tal Nathaniel Long; her parents, Walter and Mollie Lyons Robinson; two daughters, Charlene Bogus and Ada B. Releford, both of Kingsport; four brothers, John, Claude, Edward, and Dillard Robinson, all of Kingsport; one grandson, Orlando Maurice Long of Church Hill.
Survivors include two daughters, Eleanor Martin and husband, William Kenneth Martin, and Mary E. Long of Kingsport; one brother, Willard of Kingsport; five granddaughters, Angela Leeper Waller, of Dallas, Tex., Alana D. Leeper of Church Hill, Angel Uribe, Melissa Long, and Syarra Mercedez Long, all of of Kingsport; three grandsons, Darin Davis and Tracy Releford of Kingsport and Phillip Long of Alabama; seven great-grandsons, Alexander, Beela, Lake and Maurice Uribe, Darius Davis and Tremmell Mcgoo, all of Kingsport; four great-granddaughters, Brianna Long, Blu and Reese Long, and Breoanna Phillips, of Kingsport; three nieces, Ernestine Mathis, Susan and Kathy Robinson of Kingsport; also one special niece, Latosha Luther of Kingsport; one nephew, Donnie Robinson, of Kingsport; special friends, Roy Richardson, James W. Leeper, Sr., both of Church Hill, James A. Leeper of Kingsport, Terry Richmond of Morristown and Julie Carogenta LPN.
Calling hours are from 12 noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday at Johnson Funeral Home of Church Hill and anytime at the home of Eleanor Martin, 4210 W. Carters Valley, Church Hill, Tenn. 37642.
Funeral services will be conducted at 1 p.m. Wednesday in the funeral home chapel.
Graveside services will be conducted following the service at Church Hill Memory Gardens.
Palbearers will be Eddie Cox, Robert Cox, Ronnie Cox, James A. Leeper, Kenny Martin, James W. Leeper and Roy Richardson.
To leave an online message or to sign the guest registry for the Long family, please contact us @ www.johnsonfuneralhome.org
Johnson Funeral Home of Church Hill is serving the family.

Rev. Frank Lynch

KINGSPORT — The Rev. Frank Lynch, 95, 930 E. Sevier St., departed this life on Monday (Aug. 17, 2009) at Wellmont Holston Valley Medical Center.

The Rev. Lynch was raised in Hawkins County, retired from Eastman Chemical Company, and was a minister.
He was preceded in death by his parents; son, Kenneth L Lynch; three brothers, Mr. L.D. Lynch, Mr. Monroe Lynch and Mr. Clarence Lynch.
Survived by his wife, Mrs. Willie Mae Lynch of the home; two sons, John Frank Lynch, Jr. and Donald Lynch; one daughter, Mrs. Shirley Ann Porter; and a host of other relatives. The family will receive friends from 10 a.m. till the hour of service Friday at St. Mark United Methodist Church. Funeral services will be con- ducted at noon Friday at the church with the Rev. Clark Jenkins and the Rev. E.E. Widby officiating.
Interment will follow at Church Cemetery in New Canton.
R.A. Clark Funeral Service, Inc. is in charge. 423-245-4971 and www.raclarkfuneralservice.com

1 comments:
Rosemary said...
To the Frank Lynch Family:
My thoughts and prayers are with you. Rev. Lynch was my pastor at Hales Chapel United Methodist Church in Gate City. He was an anchor and leader in our community and other communities in Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee. My fondest memories are the leadership experiences that he provided to me and others during Methodist Youth Fellowship as we traveled to Morristown College, Emory and Henry College, Tennessee Wesleyan College, and Hiwassie College and area Methodist churches; his Sunday visits with my mother Janie Gray; and the stories of my sister Linda Gray Lyons who often visited with his family during her high school years at Douglass.
Dr. Rosemary Gray
Lake Charles, Louisiana

August 18, 2009 5:52 PM

Rev. Frank Lynch

KINGSPORT — Rev. Frank Lynch, 930 E. Sevier St., Kingsport, departed this life on Monday (Aug. 17, 2009) at Wellmont Holston Valley Medical Center.
Please see obituary and comment above.