Oak Ridge Today

Obituary: Madge Dyer ‘Sunshine’ Newton

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Madge Elizabeth “Sunshine” Dyer Newton, 91, of Oak Ridge, passed away July 06, 2015, in Knoxville, Tennessee. Madge was born November 11, 1923, in Powell, Tennessee, to Isaac and Lillian Dyer.

Madge was a long-time employee of Union Carbide Martin Marietta, where she worked as a secretary for more than 30 years.

Madge graduated from Karns High School in May 1942. She attended business school and, within a year or two, was hired in at K-25 in the new city of Oak Ridge, only a few miles from her home. She was one of the original “Girls of Atomic City,” the book of that name.

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Obituary: Patricia J. Hildebrandt

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Patricia J. (Kesterson) Hildebrandt, age 66, of Oliver Springs, Tennessee, passed away on Thursday, July 2, 2015 at the Methodist Medical Center in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

Patricia enjoyed crocheting, playing cards, and watching the Georgia Bulldogs.

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Obituary: Steven Lynn ‘Pops’ Rhodey

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Steve Rhodey, “Pops,” age 65, of Clinton, passed away Thursday, July 2, 2015, at his home.

Steve loved spending time with his grandkids and family. He also loved “MeMe,” his buddy!

Steve played softball for 25 years, was a TSSAA umpire for high school baseball and softball, and referee for little league and high school basketball. He enjoyed watching his son play football with the Optimist and Clinton High School.

Steve enjoyed dirt track racing. He took care of the Sunday music for WYSH, and was a member of Poplar Creek Baptist Church in the Marlow community.

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Obituary: Amy T. Tamura

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Amy T. Tamura, of Oak Ridge, passed away Wednesday, July 1, 2015.

Amy grew up in Hawaii, where she attended the University of Hawaii and received degrees in chemistry. Her first job as a chemist was with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. She worked on the Oriental Fruit Fly Investigation. During World War II, fruit flies had invaded the Hawaiian Islands from southern islands. They were attacking and destroying crops.

Amy’s second job was with the University of Wisconsin’s Zoology Department. She worked in the area of endocrinology during the time that her husband was there completing his PhD in soil chemistry.

Amy remained home while her three sons were growing up. When the youngest son graduated from high school, she applied for a job as a chemist with the U.S. Civil Service. While waiting to hear from them, she audited courses in chemistry at the University of Tennessee and also took language classes in Japanese and Chinese. An offer for a chemist position came in 1980 from the Department of Energy at the Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI). She worked there for 17 years.

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Obituary: Betty Olin Robinson

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Betty Olin Robinson passed away on July 3, 2015, at Greenfield Senior Living, after suffering a stroke.

Betty was a loving wife, mother, and grandmother, and she touched many lives with her caring and giving spirit. She was an amazing woman, and enjoyed a very full life.

She was born March 21, 1918, in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, the daughter of Seymour and Louise Olin. After graduation from Western Michigan University and further work at Michigan State University and the University of Chicago, she taught at Lewiston and Dowagiac, Michigan.

In late 1944, she was married to the late Berwyn “Robbie” Robinson and they moved to New York City, where he worked in the Atomic Energy Commission’s early Manhattan District project. Later, they were moved to the Niagara Falls site and the Fernald, Ohio, site before settling at the Oak Ridge office in 1957.

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Obituary: Chief Sam Bailey Jr.

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Chief Sam Bailey Jr., age 54, of Rocky Top, Tennessee, was surrounded by all of his loved ones when the angels came to take him to enter the pearly gates to be with his heavenly father on Sunday, June 28, 2015.

He was a loving son, brother, husband, father, papaw, uncle, great uncle, friend and a walking testimony to all. He also cherished spending time with his family, and enjoyed riding his Harley motorcycle with his wife, Regina.

Chief Bailey was the fire chief of Rocky Top fire department for 13 years. He was a faithful, devoted Christian man to Laurel Branch Baptist Church in Briceville, Tennessee. He also loved gospel bluegrass. Chief Bailey was the owner of Sambo’s Music Store and enjoyed picking music with his picking buddies.

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Obituary: Chester Phillips

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Chester Phillips, beloved, honored, and respected patriarch of the Phillips family, age 95, a resident of Oliver Springs, died on Tuesday, June 23, 2015, at his home with family by his side.

Mr. Phillips was the elder of five generations and was born September 10, 1919, in the Rosedale Community of Anderson County. He lived in Clinton for 15 years, living in Oliver Springs for the past nine years.

Mr. Phillips was a member of the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Blowing Springs. He also was a member and former governor of the Loyal Order of the Moose Lodge #1316. He served his country in the United States Army during World War II. He was a retired diesel mechanic who worked for various bus lines. His time was spent taking pride in his family and talking about them.

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Obituary: William R. ‘Doc’ Ferguson

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William R. “Doc” Ferguson, age 68, a resident of Oliver Springs, passed away Tuesday, June 23, 2015, at Methodist Medical Center in Oak Ridge. He was born February 6, 1947, in Knoxville and lived most of his life in this area.

William was a veteran of the U.S. Navy. One of his hobbies was bass fishing when he had the opportunity. He worked many years at Downtown Hardware in Oak Ridge, where he served as a service technician.

He was preceded in death by his father, Richard William Ferguson.

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Obituary: Jerry Clinton McLaughlin

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Jerry Clinton McLaughlin, 72, of Oak Ridge, passed away on June 28, 2015, at his residence.

He was born on August 23, 1942, in Greenville, South Carolina, to parents Elwood Francis and Angelyn Durham McLaughlin.

Jerry was preceded in death by his parents and his beloved wife Sandra Lee McLaughlin.

Jerry grew up in Moultrie, Georgia. He graduated from Southern Technical Institute in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1965. He then moved to Oak Ridge where he worked at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory until he retired in 2011.

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Obituary: Ilene Goins Stooksbury

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Ilene Goins Stooksbury, age 90, of Cleveland, Tennessee, and formerly of Norris, passed away Saturday, June 27, 2015, at her home.

She was born July 9, 1924, in Speedwell, Tennessee, one of five children born to William H. and Viola Miller Richardson.

Mrs. Stooksbury was a long-time member of Solid Rock Baptist Church in Clinton. She enjoyed raising flowers and birdwatching.

Read the full obituary here.