Kingsport | featured news

“Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies” (Prov. 31:10 KJV).
JONESVILLE, VA - Thelma Juanita Canter, 87, of Jonesville, VA, living in Mt. Carmel, TN, with her boys Doug, Zachary, and Adam, passed away peacefully Saturday morning, August 10, at Holston Valley Medical Center with her daughter Carol by her side.
Thelma was an active member of the community and devoted many years of service to the American Legion Auxiliary Post 185 of Jonesville, Rose Hill Rebekah Lodge 88, and many other benevolent causes.

JONESVILLE, VA - Jeraldine Mosey Roop passed away on August 10, 2019 at Asbury Place in Kingsport, Tennessee.
She was born, raised and lived in Lee County, Virginia. Jeraldine was the third of six children born to the late Charles T. and Bess Middleton.  She enjoyed working for 35 years in the Lee County school system as a secretary/bookkeeper at Jonesville and Lee High Schools.  Jeraldine loved people and made friends wherever she went.  She especially loved her church family and golfing friends at Cedar Hill Country Club.

KINGSPORT - George O’Bryan Trabue Jr., of Kingsport, Tennessee passed away, ready and at peace, on August 10, 2019 at his home surrounded by family.
He was met at St Peter’s gate by his daughter, Michelle “Shelly” Castell;grandchildren, Louis Castell and Madeline Grace Hanes; parents; and sister, Lucinda.
He was born in 1933 in Franklin, TN to George O’Bryan Trabue and Harriett Morton Baugh, both of whom were from pioneer Nashville families.

KINGSPORT - Rick Quesenberry, 61, of Kingsport went home to be with the Lord, Saturday, August 10, 2019 at the residence of his daughter and son-in-law, following a period of declining health.
He was born in Kingsport, on April 8, 1958. Son of the late J.C. and Lucille Quesenberry, he had resided in this area his entire life. He married Penny S. Yates, on January 22, 1976 in Kingsport and had retired from Kingsport Foundry following 26 years of service.

CHURCH HILL - Gary Mullins 65, of Church Hill went to be with the lord on Sunday, August 11, 2019.
To view arrangements and survivors please visit our website at www.cartertrent.com.
Carter-Trent Funeral Home in Church Hill is serving the Mullins family.

Last week we looked at development of Tennessee’s Constitution. This week we look earlier in the state’s history, with information from the Tennessee Secretary of State’s website:
• The territory of Tennessee originally consisted of six counties — Washington, Sullivan, Greene, Davidson, Sumner, and Tennessee (later Montgomery and Robertson) — under the jurisdiction of North Carolina from 1777 to 1788.

KINGSPORT - Mr. Antonio (Tony) Vitale, 68, of Kingsport, passed away Friday, August 8, 2019 after a short illness.
Tony grew up in Kingsport, with his aunt Odua Busic; he worked in sheltered workshops and Nursing Homes and was active in the Boy Scout Troop led by Crandall Craft.
He was a member of Nottingham United Methodist Church in Gate City, VA.
In addition to his parents, Antonio M. and Maude (Howard) Vitale of New York, Tony was preceded in death by his sister, Connie Vitale, and brothers William and Victor Vitale, all of New York, and his brother JC Harrison of Kingsport, TN.

KINGSPORT - Frank Howard Ketron, Sr, 90, passed away Saturday, August 10, 2019 at Indian Path Community Hospital after a brief illness.
The family will receive friends on Tuesday (August 13, 2019) from noon to 2 p.m. at East Lawn Funeral Home. Funeral services will follow at 2 p.m. in the chapel of East Lawn Funeral Home with Reverend Ray Amos officiating. Frank will be laid to rest on Tuesday (August 13, 2019) at 3 p.m. in the Garden of Love at East Lawn Memorial Park.
Online condolences may be made to the Ketron family at www.eastlawnkingsport.com.

KINGSPORT - Clara Woods, 92, of Kingsport, went home to be with the Lord Sunday, August 11, 2019, at her residence following a long illness.
She was a lifelong resident of Kingsport. Mrs. Woods was a 50+ year member of Cross Connection Church.  She was former owner of Woods Grocery Store. Mrs. Woods enjoyed traveling and loved spending time with her family.
She was preceded in death by her daughter, Connie Hickman; parents, John and Elva Payne; sisters, Helen Roberts and Betty Crawford and a brother, John Payne, Jr.

Editor’s note: This is the third in a series of stories on what Eastman makes.
KINGSPORT ‑ Eastman has been making cellulose fiber almost since the beginning of the company in the 1920s.
“It used to be one of the largest businesses that Eastman had and employed a lot of people at the Kingsport site,” said Jon Woods, Eastman’s general manager of Textiles.