Oak Ridge Today

Katherine Elizabeth Haese Barton

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Katherine "Kathy" Elizabeth Barton

Katherine “Kathy” Elizabeth Barton

Katherine Elizabeth Haese Barton, 42, of Oak Ridge, passed away on Monday, Aug. 26, as a result of complications from Crest Syndrome.

She was born in Chesterfield, S.C., but came to Oak Ridge while still a baby. As a teenager, she lived in Kingston and graduated from Roane County High School. She later graduated from Roane State Community College and became a lab technician at Methodist Medical Center, where she worked until she realized her larger dream of devoting more time to her children.

She was active in the PTA and was a “homeroom mom” at both Linden Elementary and Robertsville Middle School. Kathy loved spending time with her family and her corgis, reading, and going to the beach. [Read more…]

George Marion Richmond Jr.

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George Marion Richmond, Jr.

George Marion Richmond Jr.

George Marion Richmond Jr., 86 of Oak Ridge since 1962, passed away on September 1.

He was born to parents Dr. George Marion Sr. and Martha Polly Richmond in Newcomb, Tenn., on May 24, 1927.

George was a veteran with the U.S. Navy, serving from 1944-1945, and he retired after 25 years of service in 1988 as a machinist and tool and dye maker with Union Carbide Corporation at the Y-12 facility. He was a member of Faith Masonic Lodge, #756, Oak Ridge.

Preceding him in death were his parents; sister, Wilma Richmond, of Florida; brother, William Richmond, of Corbin, Ky.; granddaughter, Michelle Roark, of Snellville, Ga.; and wife, Pearl Richmond, of Oak Ridge.  [Read more…]

Betty Giles Stewart

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Betty Giles Stewart

Betty Giles Stewart

Betty Giles Stewart passed away peacefully Monday, Aug. 26.

She and her husband Jim were longtime residents of Oak Ridge.

Mrs. Stewart was the oldest child of Howard and Dalis Giles of Oliver Springs. She was a devoted daughter, mother, and grandmother.

She graduated from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville in English education and later earned her master’s degree in educational administration. She taught English for 35 years in junior high, high school, and college in Anderson County, Roane County, and at Tennessee Tech University. [Read more…]

William Leitch Marshall Jr.

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William Leitch "Bill" Marshall, Jr.

William Leitch “Bill” Marshall Jr.

William Leitch Marshall Jr., a resident of Oak Ridge since 1949, passed away quietly in his sleep in the early hours of Sunday, Aug. 25.

William Leitch Marshall Jr. was born Dec. 3, 1925, in Columbia, S.C., the son of William L. Sr. and Georgia Kittrell Marshall, with the name Leitch from his great-grandfather, the first surveyor of the Port of Charleston, S.C., in 1851.

He grew up in Columbia, living one year in Aiken, S.C., and as a teenager strongly involved himself in photography, even working for a photo company, and also delivering the daily newspaper. Bill was a member of DeMolay and the Boy Scouts, and graduated from Dreher High School with top grades. From his parents, he learned “to treat everyone fairly according to the Golden Rule.”

Bill received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Clemson University in 2.25 years at age 19. At Clemson, he taught in the chemistry laboratories, was a full-time waiter at the Clemson boarding house, and a first lieutenant in the ROTC. He greatly enjoyed both the academic and social life of the university. [Read more…]

Thelma Rose Moore Seiber

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Thelma Rose Moore Seiber, age 51, a resident of Harriman and formerly of Coalfield, passed away Sunday, Aug. 25, at her home.

Mrs. Seiber was born Jan. 28, 1962. She grew up and lived in Coalfield until her move to Ft. Benning, Ga., in 2011.

Thelma was employed as a receptionist at Methodist Medical Center in Oak Ridge.

She was a loving mother, grandmother, and sister, and a member of the Elverton Baptist Church in Harriman. [Read more…]

Fred J. Hooper, M.D.

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Fred J. Hooper, M.D., age 89 of Knoxville, departed this life on Friday, Aug. 23, at Tennova Hospice Center in Knoxville.

Dr. Hooper was born in Rockwood and attended Oliver Springs High School. Dr. Hooper graduated UT Medical School in 1947 and practiced medicine in Harriman. He was the Chief Physician, Eastern Area, for the Tennessee Valley Authority until retirement.

Dr. Hooper was active in the First Presbyterian Church in Harriman from the ’50s to the ’70s. Thanks to Rev. Clay Harrington of Knoxville, during his illness, he found his faith and committed his life to the Lord.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Eula Goddard Hooper, and his parents, Annie K. and Fred H. Hooper.  [Read more…]

Herbert Dale Dittmer

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Herbert Dale Dittmer, age 59, a resident of Knoxville and formerly of Coalfield, passed away, Friday, Aug. 23, at the Parkwest Medical Center, while surrounded by his loved ones.

Mr. Dittmer was born April 12, 1954, in Dodge County, Wis. He was a supervisor for Ryder Logistics in Vonore, Tenn. He was also the treasurer for the Lions Club in Coalfield for many years.

Herbert was an avid golfer and also loved gardening. He was also a loving father and grandfather and attended the Cokesbury United Methodist Church.

Mr. Dittmer is preceded in death by his father, Herbert Clarence Dittmer. [Read more…]

Jimmy Pond

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Jimmy Pond, age 66, a resident of Knoxville, formerly of Clinton, passed away Friday, Aug. 23, at Turkey Creek Medical Center.

Mr. Pond was preceded in death by a son, Jamie Lee Pond.

He is survived by his wife, Jo Ann Pond of Knoxville; daughter, Charlene Moyers and husband Scott of Knoxville; and grandchildren, Scott and Sara Moyers, Jacob and Zachary Pond. [Read more…]

Leona ‘Lee’ Wright Blanton

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Leona "Lee" Wright Blanton

Leona “Lee” Wright Blanton

Leona “Lee” Wright Blanton, age 95, formerly of Oak Ridge, died Tuesday, Aug. 20, at the Island Home Park Health and Rehab Center in Knoxville.

She was born May 8, 1918, in Knoxville, the daughter of William G. and Anice Ricker Wright.

Mrs. Blanton retired from the University of Tennessee, where she worked in the housekeeping department. In earlier years, she had also worked in the cafeteria at K-25 and in housekeeping. She was a member of Central Baptist Church.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Elbert Gordon Blanton; infant daughter, Billie Louise Blanton; and two sons, Robert “Bobby” Blanton and Ronald “Ronnie” Blanton. [Read more…]

James Robert Brunner

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James Robert Brunner

James Robert Brunner

James Robert Brunner, 69, of Knoxville, died Friday morning, Aug. 16, at Methodist Medical Center.

He was born Oct. 22, 1943, in Detroit, Mich., the oldest of five children born to George and Mary Louise Brunner. After graduation from Sacred Heart High School in Roseville, Mich., Jim served in the United States Marine Corps at the rank of sergeant.

Following military service as a Vietnam veteran, he received certification as an electronics technician and became service manager of Pecar Electronics in Detroit. Brunner went on to build a career in various areas of the audio-video industry in Los Angeles, California, and Knoxville. [Read more…]

Memory Magic Scrapbook event Sept. 27 and 28

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The Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department is sponsoring a Memory Magic Scrapbook event, Scrapping on the WILD Side, at the Oak Ridge Civic Center on Sept. 27 and 28. The event will include vendors, classes, and a large crop area.

Online registration started Aug. 19 and will continue until Sept. 22. Walk-in registration will open on Sept. 27 at 8 a.m. There is limited seating in the crop area and in each class. For a listing of classes check the website listed below. [Read more…]

Chester Stephen Morgan Jr.

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Chester Stephen Morgan Jr.

Chester Stephen Morgan Jr.

Chester Stephen Morgan, Jr., 91, of Oak Ridge, went to Heaven on Saturday, Aug. 17.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Helene Bartels Morgan.

He was born on Oct. 20, 1921, in Houston, Texas, the oldest child of Anna May Smith Morgan and Chester Stephen Morgan of Hillsboro, Texas.

After attending Hillsboro Junior College, he graduated from Rice University with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering in February 1944. Later that year, he started Naval Indoctrination School in Plattsburg, N.Y. Further training was in the new science of sonar in Key West, Fla. He then served on a destroyer escort patrolling in the Pacific. In 1946, as the highest ranking officer of a decommissioned ship, he was given the ship’s flag. In 1950, he graduated with a doctorate in physical chemistry from Rice and started working at the Celanese Research and Development Laboratory near Corpus Christi, Texas. [Read more…]