R. T. Felknor

FELKNOR, R.T., AGE 81, of Dandridge, Tennessee. Passed away Friday, May 27, 2005 at Ft. Sanders Park West Hospital in Knoxville after a brief illness. A native of Jefferson County, Tennessee, raised in the Shady Grove community, the son of the late Nell Zirkle Felknor and Adrian Felknor. Adrian Felknor, a graduate of Vanderbilt University, was a pharmacist who built and founded the first pharmacy in Dandridge in 1911 which he operated for several years and is now known as Tinsley-Bible Drug Store. R.T. was an officer in the United States Navy and was a proud veteran of World War II serving in the Pacific theatre. He was a graduate of Georgia Tech and greatly enjoyed following the Georgia Tech football team. Following his discharge from the United States Navy, Mr. Felknor, a professional civil engineer, licensed surveyor and auctioneer, was employed by Southern Railroad in its engineering department. He later worked as an engineer at American Enka (now BASF) in Lowland, Tennessee. After being employed at American Enka for several years, he quit and started his own business, Felknor Real Estate & Auction Company in Dandridge, which he owned and operated from 1961 until his recent retirement. Mr. Felknor took a special interest in the Maury High School and later, Jefferson County High School, football teams and proudly served as the announcer of Maury?s, and subsequently Jefferson County?s, home football games for many years. He was a member of the Jefferson County Commission and elected as Commissioner for the first (1st) district of Jefferson County for over thirty (30) years where he served as Chairman pro tem of the County Commission for many of those years. He took a special interest in the welfare of the residents of the Jefferson County ?poor farm? which he visited daily for many years helping the residents there to the fullest extent possible. As a County Commissioner, Mr. Felknor was instrumental in having the county commission agree to build and operate the Jefferson County Nursing Home in Dandridge to care for the former residents of the ?poor farm? and other members of the community. He visited the Jefferson County Nursing Home daily, never missing a single day, to attend to whatever needs of the residents that he could and personally delivered a Knoxville News-Sentinel newspaper to each resident daily for many years ceasing only recently because of his declining health. Mr. Felknor devoted his life to serving others performing countless selfless acts of kindness and charity for members of the community in both Jefferson County and in other locations. Mr. Felknor?s real estate and auction business was very prosperous in Jefferson County and also in Cocke County, Tennessee. He had a radio program on the WLIK radio station in Newport each Sunday morning for many years and was blessed with a great number of close friends in that area. Mr. Felknor designed the Dandridge Golf & Country Club in Dandridge, Tennessee and was one of the owners of that facility. He also designed, and was one of the owners of Patriot Hills Golf Club, between Dandridge and Jefferson City, Tennessee. He very much enjoyed visiting both courses with his beloved dog, Sadie, riding along and they visited daily until very recently. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of over fifty (50) years, Celeste (?Sister?) Henry Felknor, who died in 2002. Also preceded in death by his brothers, Adrian Z. Felknor, Joe H. Felknor and Leon C. Felknor, and his sisters, Elizabeth Felknor Rimmer and Mary Emma Vincze; and nephew, George Zirkle Felknor, He is survived by two (2) sons, Joe M. Felknor, an attorney in Knoxville, Tennessee, and Ted Z. Felknor of Dandridge, Tennessee. Mr. Felknor is also survived by nephews, John A. Felknor of Dandridge, Tennessee, Phillip L. Felknor of Dallas, Texas and Stephen George Vincze of Flat Rock, Michigan. Also survived by special nieces, Ann Felknor and Laura Jo Felknor Squires of Knoxville, Tennessee, and by Becky Vincze and Margaret Vincze of Michigan. He is survived by sisters-in-law, Priscilla D. Felknor and Imogene G. Felknor of Dandridge, Tennessee, and Jackie Henry Delbaugh of California; niece, Celeste Cooke of California; nephew, David Parker of California. Also survived by a very special and close neice, Elsie Jane Rimmer of New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Further survived by a devoted friend and member of the family, Nancy B. Olden of Dandridge, Tennessee. A selfless man who always put the welfare and benefit of others before his own and who contributed so very much to the community and to countless persons, his loss will create a void that shall go unfilled, and he will be missed by very many whose lives he touched in a beneficial manner. A man who worked so very hard for so many years, he has earned his eternal rest and may God go with you in eternal happiness and perpetual joy. Funeral services Monday, 8:00 PM at the Dandridge First United Methodist Church with Dr. Robert McCray and Rev. Jeff Moncier officiating. Interment graveside services with Military Honors, Tuesday 2:00 PM at Shady Grove Cemetery. Family will receive friends Monday 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 PM at the church prior to services. ARRANGEMENTS BY FARRAR FUNERAL HOME, DANDRIDGE, www.farrarfuneralhome.com