Gene Queen

GENE QUEEN, age 61, passed away at his home in New Market, TN on August 30, 2008 following an extended illness of Alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency. Gene was a native of North Carolina and a veteran of the U. S. Navy and was the choir director for the Navy Blue Jackets Choir. He graduated from Carson-Newman College with a major in music. Gene was a teacher at Jefferson Middle School for 23 years, where he taught music and math. He was a teacher of the year in 1987. Member of First Baptist Church of Jefferson City. Preceded in death by parents, Norris Eugene Shiflett and Hugh Oscar and Margaret Carroll Queen. Survived by his loving wife of 26 years, Opalee Lockhart Queen; children, Jennifer (Donny) Queen Russell of Marion, Indiana, Susan (Pat) Graves Gass of Knoxville, TN, Mark Graves of San Francisco, CA; grandchildren, Caroline Russell, Jacob, Noah and Grace Gass; sisters, Beth (Bobby) Ritter of Hamlet, NC, Mary Grace (John) Calhoun of Coral Springs, FL; brother, Hugh Oscar Queen III of Hamlet, NC; nephews, Hilton (Rhianna) Ritter of Cary, NC, Chester Calhoun of Coral Springs, FL; special aunt, Virginia Shiflett of Jefferson City, TN. Funeral services will be held at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, September 2, 2008 from the Farrar Jefferson Chapel with Dr. Gene Wilder officiating. The family will receive friends Tuesday evening from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. prior to the funeral service. Family and friends will gather at 9:00 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home to proceed to Jefferson Memorial Gardens for a 10:00 a.m. graveside interment service with military honors given by East Tennessee Honor Guard. It is requested that memorial gifts should be given to the music program at Jefferson Middle School of the Jefferson County Humane Society. ARRANGEMENTS BY FARRAR FUNERAL HOME IN JEFFERSON CITY, TN (865) 475-3892