Oak Ridge Today

Obituary: Verner Anderson

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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.

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Obituary: James William Howard Jr.

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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

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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.

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Obituary: Helen Louise Sklad

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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.

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Obituary: Emma Lou Gallaher-Kline

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Emma Gallaher Photo
Emma Lou Gallaher-Kline

Emma Lou Gallaher-Kline, age 82, of Harriman, Tennessee, went to be with the Lord on Saturday, August 3, 2019, at Parkwest Medical Center.

Emma was born on May 23, 1937, to the late Remus and Mary Magdalene Gallaher.

Emma was preceded in death by her husband Reverend James Leroy Kline Sr. She was also preceded in death by her brothers, Johnny, Remus, Andrew, Fred, Glenn, and J.B. Gallaher; sisters, Mary Elizabeth and Ethel Gallaher; and a special aunt, Minnie Love.

Emma was a devout follower and lover of the Lord. She loved to cook, garden, and spend time with her family and church family. Emma was affectionately known as “Granny” to all; she was simply the definition of love.

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Obituary: Young Hogan Etheridge

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Young Hogan Etheridge (December 9, 1943-May 12, 2019): A man without limit, with original energy. Out of Ashley County, Arkansas toward Raasay, Edinburgh, Dublin, Paris, and others; seeking things true and untrue, unafraid to know; telling tall tales, unconstrained by “facts”; drinking Beaujolais Nouveau, fully breathing the grapes and the land; whistling unmistakably; endlessly reading Pratchett, Twain, Rowling, Dickens, Doyle, Stout; curious, always curious, listening intently to all of the music of the universe; great-grandfather of Marley; grandfather of Ruth, Adrian, Seth, Jacob, Carina, Dalton, Lucy, Garrison, Stella, and Annie; father of Allen (Suzanne), Allise, Jennifer (Vance), Sam (Yvonne), Amos (Lari), and Jon (Mary); husband of Katherine (love without limit and without end). Weatherford Mortuary in charge of the arrangements. An on-line guestbook can be signed at www.weatherfordmortuary.com.

Obituary: Mira Ryczke Kimmelman, Holocaust survivor

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Mira Ryczke Kimmelman

Mira Ryczke Kimmelman, 95, of 969 West Outer Drive, died peacefully at home at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, April 17.

Mira’s long and purposeful life was dotted with tragic events and redeeming joys. She was born on September 17, 1923, in the seaside resort of Zoppot, a suburb of the free City of Danzig. Her father Moritz was a grain merchant and her mother Eugenia dedicated herself to raising Mira and her younger brother Benno.

This happy life came to an abrupt end in 1939 when the Nazis invaded Danzig and drove Mira and her family from their home, first to ghettos in Warsaw and Tomaszow Mazowiecki, then to concentration camps Blizyn-Majdanek and Auschwitz, and thereafter on a horrific death march to Bergen-Belsen, where Mira was liberated and reunited with her father. Sadly, her mother and brother did not survive the Holocaust.

In 1946, she met another survivor, Max Kimmelman, who had lost his wife and daughter in the Holocaust. They married on May 19, 1946, in Germany. With the assistance of family in Cincinnati, Ohio, they were able to immigrate to the United States and arrived in Cincinnati, Ohio, on August 2, 1948.

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Obituary: James Edward ‘Ed’ Westcott

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James Edward "Ed" Westcott

James Edward “Ed” Westcott

James Edward “Ed” Westcott, Sr., 97, of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, passed away peacefully at his daughter’s home, where he lived, on March 29, 2019.

He was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on January 20, 1922, to parents Jamie Rupert Westcott and Lucille Green Westcott, who preceded him in death. Ed had one brother, Hugh “Buddy” Westcott, who also preceded him in death.

Ed was a member of Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church.

He grew up in Nashville, and he graduated from Andrews High School and attended the Watkins Art School in Nashville, Tennessee. He received his training in photography from the Photo Craft Studio, Shadow Art Studio, and from an internship with the National Youth Administration.

He was married June 16, 1941, to a former Nashvillian, Esther Seigenthaler Westcott, who passed away in 1996. [Read more…]

Funeral is Saturday for Williams, who fought to integrate CHS in 1956

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Alfred Williams

Alfred Williams

 

Alfred Williams, one of the Clinton 12 students who fought for the integration of Clinton High School in 1956, died Thursday, March 14. He was 83. His funeral is Saturday.

“On behalf of the Green McAdoo Cultural Organization, the City of Clinton, and the State of Tennessee, we extend our heartfelt condolences to the family of Mr. Alfred Williams,” Green McAdoo Cultural Organization said in a statement. “Alfred passed away at The Waters Nursing and Rehabilitation Facility on March 14, 2019, surrounded by family. He was one of the Clinton 12 students that fought for the integration of Clinton High School in 1956, blazing a trail for all black students to achieve equal education under the law. He went on to work in the city school system and became one of the friendly faces of Clinton Elementary School and the ‘candy man’ until his retirement. He will be missed by family, friends, and all those blessed to know him.” [Read more…]

Obituary: Lois E. Callaghan

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Lois E. Callaghan

Lois E. Callaghan

 

Lois E. Callaghan, 96, a longtime resident of Oak Ridge, died February 24, 2019, peacefully at her home following a brief illness. At her passing, she was surrounded by children and grandchildren who were blessed by her unconditional love and unwavering faith.

Until the last two weeks of her life, she was a tireless supporter of her church and community and a source of strength and inspiration for her family and friends.

“Lois was a pillar of St. Mary’s parish and touched many lives in Oak Ridge,” said close friend Pat Zanolli. “She was a loyal friend and nurturing mother who will be lovingly missed.”

A devout Roman Catholic, Mrs. Callaghan initiated development of the Perpetual Adoration Ministry at St. Mary’s Church. With her parish partners, she fostered this ministry for almost 20 years. Decades earlier in 1958, she and her husband commissioned a marble statue of the Virgin Mary on the parish grounds that was sanctioned by the diocese Bishop as Our Lady of Oak Ridge. [Read more…]