Sullivan County | featured news

Blanche Knowles, age 83, passed away peacefully on August 8, 2019.
Preceded in death by first husband, Earl Calton; parents, Frank and Martha Hicks; brothers Raymond Hicks, Charlie Bill Hicks, and Dee Hicks; sisters, Shirley White and Carolyn Forgety.

BLOUNTVILLE — The driver and two passengers of a car struck by an on-duty Sullivan County deputy last year have settled their $900,000 lawsuits against Sullivan County for $150,000.
County Attorney Dan Street confirmed to the Times News that the case is officially closed now that a judge has approved the portion of the $150,000 meant as settlement for a minor hurt in the wreck.
“We admitted liability,” Street said, adding it is the first time in his memory that he’s done so in his years defending the county in such cases.

NORTON, VA – Herbert Houston “Hub” Masters, 90, went home to be with the Lord Wednesday August 7, 2019, at Holston Valley Medical Center with his family by his side.
He was born March 7, 1929. He was married to the love of his life, Eva Brickey Masters, for 61 wonderful years. He was a US Army Veteran and a life member of VFW Post 4301 and DAV Chapter 45. He was a coal truck driver. He was of the Pentecostal faith and had attended the Ramsey Church of God where he enjoyed playing guitar and making music.

CHURCH HILL - Betty Mabel Winegar Carroll, 88, left this world during the morning hours of Thursday (August 8, 2019) to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ following an extended illness.
Betty was born on January 11, 1931 in Kingsport, TN to the late Charles Bruce & Sarah Melinda (Jayne) Price.
Betty never met a stranger. She attended Willow Chapel Baptist Church where she was a member for many years. She enjoyed her flowers, crocheting, knitting, and spending time with her family.

Edward R. Loudy Sr. passed away peacefully in his sleep on Tuesday, August 6, 2019.
The family will receive friends from 1:00 til 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 11, 2019 at the East Tennessee Funeral Home, 2630 Hwy 75 Blountville, TN 37617 with a service to follow with Rev. Paul Overbay officiating .Mr. Loudy will be laid to rest with full Military Rites by the American Legion Hammond Post 3/265 Honor Guard in the East Tennessee Cemetery Garden of Solomon following the service.
In Lieu of flowers please make memorial contributions to the American Legion: 301 Louis St. # 301 Kingsport, TN 37660.

KINGSPORT - Charlotte Ann Neeley, 70, Kingsport, TN passed away, Thursday, August 8, 2019 at the Wellmont Holston Valley Medical Center.
She was born in Sullivan County, TN on December 14, 1948 to the late Ira Lee and Samantha Ellen Harless McDavid.
In addition to her parents, her sisters, Linda Louise McDavid, Nelly McPeters, Betty Davenport; brothers, Howard and Alvin McDavid preceded her in death.
She is survived by her husband of 54 years, Rev.

William Doyle Shanks, age 81, went home to be with his Lord Jesus on Thursday, August 8, 2019, at Diveriscare of Oak Ridge when he won his battle with brain cancer.
He was born to the late Walter Glenn Shanks and Willie Shanks Webb on January 8, 1938, and was a Hawkins County resident his entire life. On April 11, 1959, he married his sweetheart, Jane Elizabeth Bryan, and together they raised their daughter, Cynthia. He was a dedicated employee of AFG from where he retired. Hunting, fishing, and spending time at the cabin with friends and family were his favorite pastimes.

BLOUNTVILLE — Sullivan County’s school board has declined to make any changes in revenue projections for its 2019-20 budget, and board Chairman Michael Hughes said the budget will fail to pass the maintenance of effort, or MOE, test from Tennessee.
The Board of Education voted 7-0 not to amend its $83,234,000 2019-20 budget that it and the Sullivan County Commission have already approved. The issue, Hughes and school system Business Manager Ingrid DeLoach told the board, is that the County Commission approved the school budget amount but not enough money to fund it.

BLOUNTVILLE — Victoria Hewlett has gone from a high school dropout to a Yale University graduate, from being an assistant manager of a Pizza Hut in Elizabethton to planning a career in community and economic development possibly linked with agriculture or employee-owned enterprises.

Ten years ago, when she was born, Anna appeared to be a typical, healthy newborn. However, her mother Melissa Blake was given the news by nurses that Anna had failed her newborn hearing test because she was screaming during the test.
“We trusted the nurses and thought little of it, although our older son had passed his newborn hearing test almost four years earlier without any issues,” Melissa recalls.
When Anna turned 3, she still didn’t speak and often didn’t respond. Trusting her instincts, Melissa took her daughter to see an ear, nose and throat specialist (ENT).