Claude Jenkins
Claude Jenkins died peacefully at Canterfield of Oak Ridge on Saturday, August 30, at the age of 93.
He grew up in Polk County and graduated from Polk County High School in 1939. Claude was accepted into the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1940 as a 19-year-old. He was stationed at CCC Company 494/ TVA 45 located in Norris, Tennessee. He is honored with a plaque on the site of the camp in what is now Norris Dam State Park.
Claude enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in July 1942 and served his country as a Marine until January 1946. He was a proud veteran of World War II, where he was stationed in the Pacific.
He married Jacquoleen Gregory in January 1947, and they relocated to Oak Ridge in 1951, where they lived until his death.
Claude was an electrician and worked in various capacities at K-25, Y-12, and X-10 over the years. He retired from X-10 in 1986.
He is survived by his loving wife of 67 years, Jacquoleen (Jackie) Jenkins; daughter Jeanette Staley of Knoxville; daughter and son-in-law Janelle and Tom Dunigan of Oak Ridge; daughter Patricia DePersio of Oak Ridge; grandson and wife John and Ellie Staley of Bozeman, Montana; granddaughter and husband Jenny and Darrell Murphy of St. Louis, Missouri; granddaughter and husband, Megan and Kevin Klein of Greenville, South Carolina; grandson, Greg DePersio of Lake Worth, Florida; great-grandson Parker Klein; and great-granddaughter Maren Staley.
He was preceded in death by his parents, three sisters, two brothers, and beloved son-in-law John Staley.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations either to Canterfield of Oak Ridge, 200 Bus Terminal Road, Oak Ridge, TN 37830, or FRIENDS of Norris Dam State Park, Attn: Mark Morgan, 125 Village Green Circle, Rocky Top, TN 37769.
The graveside service was held on Thursday, September 4, at 2 p.m. at Oak Ridge Memorial Park, 1501 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, TN. The family received friends at 3 p.m. at Canterfield of Oak Ridge.
An online guest book may be signed at weatherfordmortuary.com.
Leave a Reply