Oak Ridge Today

DOE photographer dies at 62

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Lynn Freeny (Photo courtesy U.S. Department of Energy)

Ross Lynn Freeny, a U.S. Department of Energy photographer who helped document current and historic activities in Oak Ridge, died on January 14. He was 62.

Freeny, a University of Tennessee graduate who lived in Maryville, had been a photographer for DOE since 1992. He taught photography classes at Pellissippi State Community College. He died at Blount Memorial Hospital on January 14. He had battled cancer.

Freeny could often be seen taking photos at DOE events. For example, he took photos at the opening of the K-25 History Center in February 2020.

[Read more…]

Obituary: David Lane Mason

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

David Mason

David Lane Mason, 79, of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, passed away on Monday January 4, 2021, from COVID-19 complications at the University of Tennessee Medical Center. David was a nuclear physicist and community advocate for over 50 years.

Dave was born on August 18, 1941, to David Franklin and Mildred Lane Mason in Madison, Tennessee. He grew up in Clarksville, Tennessee, where he met his future wife, Judy, when they both attended Clarksville High School. Dave was the first person in his family to go to college, and he attended Austin Peay State University for a bachelor of arts in physics and mathematics. During this time, he was a summer student at Oak Ridge National Laboratory through the Oak Ridge Institute for Nuclear Studies program. After graduation from APSU and his marriage to Judy in 1962, Dave went on to graduate school at the University of Florida, where he received a doctorate in nuclear physics. He completed his dissertation research at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. [Read more…]

Obituaries: Hetty Louise Karels & John (Jan) Herman van Eek

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Hetty Louise Karels van Eek and John (Jan) Herman van Eek (Submitted photos)

Oak Ridge: Hetty Louise Karels van Eek, age 88; John (Jan) Herman van Eek, age 90

Best friends and soulmates, Hetty passed away on December 31, 2019, and Jan passed away on April 6, 2020. Though they were separated the last few months with lengthy illnesses, they never stopped asking about one another. They were married on May 31, 1956, in The Hague, The Netherlands, and they would have celebrated 64 years of marriage on May 31, 2020.

Hetty was born in The Hague, The Netherlands, on March 7, 1931, to Willem and Catharina Karels. Jan was born in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, on January 9, 1930, to Herman and Petronella van Eek.

They grew up in The Netherlands and survived World War II. They immigrated to the United States in 1960. One of their proudest moments was becoming American citizens in 1967 and being able to both have careers. Jan retired from Y-12 and Hetty retired from EG&G Ortec, both after several years of employment.

[Read more…]

Obituary: Mavis Vanderpool Kohler

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Mavis Kohler

Mavis Vanderpool Kohler of Oak Ridge died peacefully Sunday morning, September 6. She was 99 and a veteran of World War II.

She was predeceased 10 years ago by her husband of 62 years, Peter Bogart Kohler, and earlier by her parents, Laura Hall Vanderpool and John Vanderpool.

Born in the small mountain town of McDowell, Kentucky, she was one of six children. Although her parents had only grade-school educations, she was graduated from Pikeville College (now University of Pikeville) with a teaching degree. She vividly remembered the day Pearl Harbor was attacked, sitting in her dorm room listening to the President’s speech on the radio. She returned home to McDowell and Floyd County, where she took a one-year teaching job in a two-room schoolhouse; she served as principal and taught fourth, fifth, and sixth grades.

With her two older brothers enlisting in service, she also answered the call to duty and became among the first group of women to enlist in the U.S. Navy’s WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service). Leaving eastern Kentucky for the first time in her life, she boarded a train and reported to Hunter College in New York City for basic training. Following basic and advanced training, she served as a Pharmacists Mate in the Medical Corps and was based in Washington, D.C., working in U.S. Navy clinics and hospitals.

[Read more…]

Obituary: Joseph Walter Fortenberry

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Submitted photo

The Fortenberry family is sad to announce, Joseph Walter Fortenberry, age 76, quietly passed away on Sunday, June 7, 2020. He had suffered from a long illness with multiple sclerosis and brain damage from strokes. His official cause of death was respiratory failure caused by COVID-19. The family would like to remind friends and colleagues that, as our cities and states lessen quarantine restrictions, please remember to protect our elder and infirm populations. Hand washing, personal distancing, and the wearing of masks are a few of the precautions we can take for our elders—even when it seems a little inconvenient for the rest of us.

Joe was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, and attended East Tennessee State University, where he studied mechanical engineering. He had a long career with IBM in Knoxville and later owned his own company, InfoTech, in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

[Read more…]

Obituary: Dorothea Elisabeth (Kummer) Busch

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Dorothea Busch

Dorothea Elisabeth (Kummer) Busch, age 84, of Oak Ridge, Tennessee passed away on May 2, 2020, at her home.

Dorothea (Dore) was born on December 23, 1935, in Heidenheim an der Brenz, Germany, to Hans Erich and Pauline (Laible) Kummer. She was the eldest of three children and graduated from gymnasium (high school) with a concentration in business skills.

Wanting to see more of the world, Dore moved to Detroit, Michigan, in 1956. She lived with her aunt and uncle and worked as a bookkeeper. Dore married Helmut Busch on October 21, 1961, and the family grew to include three children.

In 1972, the family moved to Jones, Michigan, where Dore was employed as an accountant, eventually starting her own firm.

She and Helmut enjoyed traveling the world and took vacations to Hawaii, Russia, the Canary Islands, and made many trips to Germany to visit family. Always fascinated by aircraft, Dore was a private pilot and enjoyed flying her plane around southern Michigan. As a member of the Civil Air Patrol, she participated in search and rescue operations throughout southwestern Michigan. 

[Read more…]

Obituary: Patricia Ann Waldschmidt

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Patricia Waldschmidt

Patricia Ann Waldschmidt, 91, was called to her heavenly home to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on March 28, 2020.

The eldest of eight, she was born in Hays, Kansas, to John and Agnes Karlin Hoffman, both deceased.

Besides her parents, she is preceded in death by her husband of 59 years, George Waldschmidt, her sisters Mary Ann Ward and Juanita Dreiling and her brothers Jack and Larry Hoffman, all of Kansas.

In her forties, Pat took LPN training and immensely enjoyed nursing for several years.

In March 1980, she became a believer in Jesus Christ by faith alone. (“For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9)

Pat lived in the same county in Kansas for 81 years before moving to Tennessee in 2010.

[Read more…]

Obituary: Wesley Davis Arnold, Jr. (Bill)

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Wesley Davis Arnold, Jr.

Wesley Davis Arnold, Jr. (Bill), age 89, died on December 8, 2019, in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

He was born on September 30, 1930, in Pisgah, Alabama, to Wesley Davis Arnold, Sr., and Lillian Johnson Arnold, both deceased. A graduate of Pisgah High School and the University of Alabama, he was employed by Pennsalt Manufacturing Company in Calvert City, Kentucky, for two years before moving to Oak Ridge, Tennessee, in 1954. He was a chemist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the Materials Chemistry, Chemical Technology, and Chemistry Divisions for 38 years before retiring in 1992.

Mr. Arnold is survived by three children, Wesley Arnold III (Patricia) of Alexandria, Alabama; Melinda Arnold-Fletcher (Adrian) of Charlotte, North Carolina; and Susan Fallon (Pat) of Goodyear, Arizona; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. His stepsons, William Barnett (Wendy); Scott Barnett (Regina); and Elliott Barnett (Crystal) all of Kingston, Tennessee; 10 step-grandchildren; and three step-great-grandchildren also survive him.

He was preceded in death by his brother, Matt Arnold; grandson, Geoffrey Fallon; Iula C. Arnold (mother of his children); and Barbara Arnold (mother of his step-children).

[Read more…]

Obituary: Verner Anderson

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Verner Anderson

Verner Anderson, age 94, of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, passed away Thursday, October 31, 2019, at the Methodist Medical Center in Oak Ridge.

Verner was born December 22, 1924, in Independence, Kansas, the son of August and Amanda Lonn Anderson. He grew up in Ormsby, Pennsylvania, where his family moved from Independence. After graduation, Verner attended Alabama University and then graduated from the University of Tennessee.

Since 1946, Mr. Anderson had made his home in Oak Ridge. Working as a mathematician initially for the Manhattan Project, his later work supported many of Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s research programs until he retired in the 1990s. ORNL is our nation’s largest science and energy laboratory, and Mr. Anderson is credited with many important scientific contributions which have greatly benefited society over his five decades of service.

[Read more…]

Obituary: James William Howard Jr.

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

James Howard

James Howard

James William Howard Jr., 78, of Dyllis and formerly of Oak Ridge, passed away Tuesday, November 19, 2019, at his home.

He was born April 26, 1941, in Rockwood, Tennessee, the son of James William Howard Sr. and Sara Elizbeth Dennis Howard.

Mr. Howard was of the Baptist faith and a member of the Faith Masonic Lodge #756 and Order of the Eastern Star #390. He retired from the Oak Ridge Fire Department, where he was Chief Fire Inspector. After retirement, he purchased acreage in Dyllis and was in the process of building a homestead for he and his family. Working with his son, clearing land, creating a pond, and remodeling houses, which were moved from Oak Ridge, was a project he loved. He also enjoyed fishing in his free time.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his grandson, Joseph William Howard Tunkel, and brother-in-law, Donald Wayne Gullett, whom he thought of as a true brother. [Read more…]

Obituary: David Wayne Presnell

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

David Pressnell
David Wayne Pressnell

David Wayne Pressnell, 58, of Oak Ridge, passed away Tuesday, August 27, 2019, at Methodist Medical Center.

He was born May 28, 1961, in Oak Ridge, the son of Jerry Dwight Pressnell and Peggy Jo Sutton Pressnell.

David graduated from Oak Ridge High School in 1979 and earned his
bachelor’s degree in operations management from the University of Tennessee. He was employed with Information International Associates Inc. (IIA), where he was a technical recruiter.

David was a long-time member of Central Baptist Church of Oak Ridge and attended Crossroads Christian Church in Claxton, where he was active in church fellowship. He was an avid golfer and fisherman. In earlier years, he loved playing racquetball. David also enjoyed coaching at Girls Inc. and the Boys Club. Most precious to him were his four grandbabies.

[Read more…]

Obituary: Helen Louise Sklad

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Helen Sklad
Helen Louise Sklad

Helen Louise Sklad: Daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother

Helen Louise Sklad, nee Muniak, passed away on Saturday, August 23, 2019, at the Alexander Guest House in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

She was born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1923 to Joseph and Anna (Prozeck) Muniak. She was one of nine children—John, Joseph, Walter, Louis, her twin sister Mary, Chester, Edward, and Stella. She attended Saint John Cantius Catholic School and graduated from Jane Addams High School. During World War II, she worked at Jack and Heinz Inc., making airplane parts to aid the war effort. In the 1950s, she worked at Sklad’s Grocery Store in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, where, among other things, she ran the soda fountain, and she later worked for the Catholic Cemeteries Association in Cleveland, Ohio.

[Read more…]