Oak Ridge Today

Obituary: Christena Lee Hasbrouck

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Christena Lee Hasbrouck passed away quietly Monday, November 10, in her home in Oak Ridge.

She was born March 4, 1947, the daughter of Robert E. Bruggema and Mary V. (Poterack) Bruggema. She grew up in El Cajon, California, the eldest of seven children, and moved later in her life to Eastern Tennessee.

She was the loving mother to six children (Paula, Geoff, Jason, Ricky, Jenny, and Rachel). She was grandmother to 12 (Derrick, Toshia, Brandon, Ethan, Dylan, Jacob, Leann, Kattie, Maddie, Rylieanne, Seth, and Brynlee), and one great-grandson (Bronson). [Read more…]

Obituary: Julia Veronica Carter

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Julia Veronica Carter, aged 96, a resident of Oak Ridge for the past 68 years, passed away in her sleep during the night of Saturday, November 8. Emeritus of Oak Ridge assisted living was her residence for the last three-plus years of her life.

Julia, the first of three daughters, most often referred to as Julie, was born on March 2, 1918, in Decatur, Illinois, to Sanford Joseph Thornton and Julia Cain Thornton. A life long Catholic, she graduated from St. Teresa’s parochial high school in 1936, and attended Millikin University, also in Decatur. Julie was the eldest of three sisters. Katherine and Jane, her siblings, preceded her in passing in 2005 and 2012 respectfully.

The tumult of World War II and a job opportunity with the atomic energy work in Oak Ridge brought her to Tennessee in 1946, the one and only relocation in her life. She married Robert Alfred Carter on September 29, 1947, and bore the first of her two children, a son, Charles Sanford Carter in August 1948. Charles’ birth was followed by that of a daughter, Julia Gabrielle Carter, in December 1953. The younger Julia, known as Judy, or Gabby, to some family members, was a special needs child and a lifelong joy to her parents, who were very active in the early days of the Daniel Arthur Education Center and Sheltered Workshop. [Read more…]

Obituary: Debbie L. Johnson

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Debbie L. Johnson

Debbie L. Johnson

Debbie L. Johnson, age 61, a resident of Oliver Springs and Knoxville, went to be with the Lord on Sunday night, November 9, at the University Of Tennessee Medical Center.

She was a faithful member of Batley Baptist Church. Debbie retired from Stat Medical Services Inc., where she served both as a nurse and office manager for many years.

Debbie was a loving mother, “granny,” sister, aunt, and friend to so many. She especially enjoyed her monthly luncheons with her siblings. Debbie also loved all animals, shopping, and cooking. [Read more…]

Obituary: Jefferson Thomas Tucker

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Jefferson Thomas Tucker

Jefferson Thomas Tucker

Jefferson Thomas Tucker, age 69, a resident of Oak Ridge, passed away Sunday, November 9, at his home.

Mr. Tucker was born on May 11, 1945, in Lauderdale County, Alabama. J.T. has lived in this area since his teenage years.

J.T. worked in the construction business as a painter, but could do anything with his hands. He loved to work and cook, but most importantly he loved his family and friends. [Read more…]

Obituary: John Wilborn Lamb

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John Wilborn Lamb

John Wilborn Lamb

John Wilborn Lamb, age 82, of Oak Ridge, passed away Sunday, November 9, at his home.

He was born June 9, 1932, in Black Oak, Arkansas, the son of Mois and Oma Crane Lamb.

Mr. Lamb retired from the U.S. Army, where he served for 24 years and served two tours in Vietnam. He was a member of the Disabled American Veterans.

He enjoyed sports of all kind and working in his yard. [Read more…]

Obituary: Oliver Walter Russ Jr.

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Oliver Walter Russ Jr.

Oliver Walter Russ Jr.

Oliver Walter Russ Jr., (“Russ”), of Oak Ridge, passed away on Friday, November 7.

“Joe Bob” was born April 18, 1923, in Fort Smith, Arkansas, to Oliver and Beulah Russ. The family moved to Springfield, Missouri, where he attended Drury University for two years before being drafted to serve in World War II. He served at Fort Nix, New York, and France, Belgium, and Germany, before returning to complete his education at Birmingham Southern College.

He came to work in Oak Ridge initially as an instrument mechanic and then as a computer analyst. He met Dorothy (Dottie) Roark at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and they married July 15, 1950. They enjoyed their life together greatly until her death November 5, 2008, taking special pleasure in their home and garden. [Read more…]

Obituary: James Edward Gary

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James Edward Gary

James Edward Gary

James Edward Gary, age 76, of Oak Ridge, departed this life on November 4 at Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge due to complications caused by ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). He was surrounded by his loving family.

Mr. Gary was born on April 7, 1938, in Sale Creek, Tennessee, to Walt and Irene Gary, both of whom proceeded him in death. He graduated from Oak Ridge High School and secured both a B.A. and M.A. from the University of Tennessee.

In more than 40 years serving as a Church of Christ minister, Mr. Gary served congregations in Tennessee, Indiana, and Georgia including Signal Mountain, Mountain Creek, Ringgold, Brainerd, and Harriman churches. Following retirement from the ministry, he worked as a counselor for Knox County Juvenile Court and as a client advocate for Emory Valley Center. Mr. Gary was an avid photographer and golfer. [Read more…]

Obituary: Robert James ‘Sarge’ Brown

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Robert James "Sarge" Brown

Robert James “Sarge” Brown

Robert James “Sarge” Brown, 84, of Oak Ridge, passed away at his home on October 24, 2014, surrounded by his closest family and friends.

Formerly of Harriman, Tennessee, Robert was born January 16, 1930, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Eleanor and Eugene Brown.

“Sarge” wanted to give one last shout out to all his buddies, friends, and acquaintances at the Throttle Down Daycare and the Dayshift crew.

Robert was of the Roman Catholic faith. He was born and raised in Milwaukee. Robert made a lifetime career serving more than 30 years in the United States Army. He served in the Korean and Vietnam wars before retiring in 1970. [Read more…]

Obituary: Simone Helen Farquharson

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Simone Helen Farquharson

Simone Helen Farquharson

After a courageous, three-year battle with cancer, Simone Helen Farquharson (née Jones) of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, went to be with the Lord at home in DeFuniak Springs, Florida at the age of 61.

A longtime resident of Oak Ridge, she graduated from Oak Ridge High School in 1971 and worked as an LPN at Methodist Medical Center after receiving a nursing degree from Roane State Technical Community College. Later, she returned to school and graduated from Roane State’s Massage Therapy program. A gifted athlete, Simone was a proud member of the Oak Ridge Rower’s Association and competed in many regattas, where she won multiple medals.

She is survived by her life partner, Mark Lassen; her daughter, Courtney Nicole Farquharson; her son, Nathan Taylor Farquharson; daughter-in-law, Ashlie Blair Farquharson; granddaughter, Paisley Jayne Farquharson; her brothers, Larry and Greg Jones; and her sisters, Kathy Ewald and Evelyn Brackney. [Read more…]

Obituary: Elaine Berniece Gibson Thomas

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Elaine Berniece Gibson Thomas

Elaine Berniece Gibson Thomas

Elaine Berniece Gibson Thomas, 88, passed away on Wednesday, October 29.

She was born in Detroit, Michigan, to Cecil and Irene Cobb Gibson. When she was three, her father moved her family to a ranch south of Gordon, Nebraska, where he took up ranching. She graduated from Gordon High School in Gordon, Nebraska, in 1943 and from Colorado Women’s College in Denver in 1945.

She worked in Denver for Continental Airlines as a junior stenographer until June 1946, married Orrin Westley Thomas Jr. in the Gordon Presbyterian Church in Gordon, Nebraska, on August 9, 1946, and moved to Gainesville, Florida, where he started attending the University of Florida.

Orrin moved around in his work as a mechanical engineer, and Elaine went where ever his work took him. They finally moved to Oak Ridge in 1960 when he went to work at X-10 for Union Carbide. She went back to work in 1962 for a doctor who raised mice for research and then at AEC-Atomic Energy Commission (now DOE-Department of Energy). She retired in 1989 after 22 years. [Read more…]

Obituary: Clyde Collins Hopkins

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Clyde Collins Hopkins

Clyde Collins Hopkins

Clyde Collins Hopkins, age 85, of Oak Ridge, went to be with the Lord on October 29, 2014.

Clyde was a native of Brownsville, Tennessee.

He joined Union Carbide in Oak Ridge as an accountant in 1952. He moved to Paducah, Kentucky, in 1972 to manage its Gaseous Diffusion Plant, but returned to Oak Ridge in 1978 as the executive director of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

In 1984, Clyde was named senior vice president of Martin Marietta Energy Systems when the company became the U.S. Department of Energy’s managing contractor in Oak Ridge. He was named president of Martin Marietta Energy Systems in 1988 and corporate vice president of Martin Marietta Corporation in 1991. In 1993, he became president of Martin Marietta’s Energy Group, one of six business units created within the corporation. [Read more…]

Obituary: John Henry Anderson Jr.

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John Henry Anderson Jr.

John Henry Anderson Jr.

John Henry Anderson Jr., of Oak Ridge, passed away November 1, 2014, at his home.

John was born July 14, 1925, in South Pittsburg, Tennessee, the son of John Henry Anderson Sr. and Maggie Elizabeth Anderson.

He retired from Oak Ridge City Schools. He was an avid gardner and fisherman, as well as a talented musician and storyteller.

In addition to his parents, John was preceded in death by his wife, Margaret Drewery Anderson;
daughter, Saundra Anderson Duncan; and siblings, Louise Webster, Dee Anderson, Frank Anderson, Jim Anderson, and Cora Hixson. [Read more…]