Tennessee, U.S., Delayed Birth Records, 1869-1909
David Christian Burkett
Teacher at area schools
David Christian Burkett, 45, of Oak Ridge, died Sunday, March 3, 2002, at the University of Tennessee Medical Center at Knoxville.
Born in Levittown, Pa., he was the son of David R. Burkett of Freeport, Pa., and Eleanor "Rusty" Stokes Burkett of Oak Ridge. He spent his childhood in the Pennsylvania towns of Levittown and Fairless Hills, and graduated from Pennsbury High School. He was also a graduate of Clarion University in Pennsylvania.
Mr. Burkett moved to Oak Ridge five years ago and worked for the Cherokee tribes. He was also a substitute teacher at Oak Ridge High School. Most recently, he taught biology and botany at Laurel High School in Knoxville.
Previously, he served a bricklayer apprenticeship with Local No. 65 in Southern Illinois and traveled with U.S. Steel mills. Mr. Burkett was also a wetlands surveyor with Munro Environmental Services, working in the field of botany, which his family said was dear to his heart.
He will be remembered by all who knew him for his uncanny quick humor, his family said.
In addition to his parents, Mr. Burkett is survived by his wife, Carole Gurney Burkett, originally from Mentone, Victoria, Australia; his son, David Joel, of the home; his daughter, Jessica E. Burkett of Colorado Springs, Colo.; his brother, Curtis L. Burkett and his wife, Cyndie Fennimore Burkett, of Kingston; his sister, Cynthia Reisser and her husband Clifford R. Reisser, of Lambertville, N.J.; and his nephews, Zachary Burkett, Jacob Reisser and Alex Reisser.
He is also survived by his stepsons, Damien Cooper and his wife, Tammy, and Julien Cooper and his wife, Debbie; a stepdaughter, Fiona Jane Cooper Cardona and her husband, James; his father- and mother-in-law, Dudley and Dorothy Gurney, all of Victoria, Australia.
A celebration-of-life service will be held at 3:30 p.m. Friday, March 8, at the United Church, Chapel on the Hill.
The family requests that any memorials be in the form of donations to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, P.O. Box 4809, Palos Verdes, CA 90274.
East Tennessee Mortuary Service in Knoxville is handling the arrangements.
Madge Elizabeth Lay
Former Clinton resident
Madge Elizabeth Lay, 86, of State College, Pa., died Tuesday, March 5, 2002, at University Park Nursing Center in State College.
Born Oct. 16, 1915, in Harlan, Ky., she was the daughter of James and Alice Clark Hamby, who are deceased.
She was a graduate of Harlan High School. On July 25, 1934, she married Tivis Harold Lay, who preceded her in death.
For many years Mrs. Lay taught piano. Before retiring, she was a sales clerk for Gann's Variety Store in Clinton.
She was a member of First Baptist Church in Clinton, where she was a longtime member of the choir and taught Sunday school. Mrs. Lay had also been a member of the Business & Professional Women's Club in Clinton.
She is survived by her daughter, Ruby L. Ackerman of State College, and by three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
The funeral will be held at 8 p.m. Friday, March 8, in the chapel of Holley-Gamble Funeral Home in Clinton with the Rev. Terry Baker officiating.
A graveside service will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 9, at Sunset Cemetery in Clinton.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
Phillip Harris Jr.
Former ORNL employee, WWII vet
Phillip Harris Jr., 76, formerly of Oak Ridge, died Friday, Feb. 28, 2003, at the Fountain View Nursing Home in Atlanta, Ga.
Born Nov. 4, 1926, in Rienzi, Miss., he was the son of Dock and Donnie Harris, both now deceased. He was educated in the Rienzi school system.
He served in the U.S. Army and received the World War II Victory Medal.
He and his wife, Lorine Wooden Harris, were married Dec. 19, 1947. He moved to Oak Ridge in 1949 and in 1951 went to work for Union Carbide Nuclear Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
He was an active member of Oak Valley Baptist Church until his health failed. He enjoyed singing in the church choir and participating in Sunday school and midweek Bible study class. He was devoted to his family, friends, church and community. In his spare time he loved gardening, fishing and watching baseball games.
Survivors include two sons, R.T. Harris and wife, Cynthia, of Knoxville and Terry Harris of Atlanta; six daughters, Margaret Jones and husband, Myrrh, of Louisville, Ky., and Marine Harris, Denise Miller and husband, Chris, Arlene Fernander and husband, Gregory, Phyllis Prioleau and husband, Marvin, and Loressa Copeland and husband Scott, all of Atlanta, Ga.; sister, Lenell Harris; sister-in-law, Dorothy Shinault; six grandchildren; and several loving nieces, nephews and cousins.
His wife died May 14, 1998. He was also preceded in death by two sons, Phillip Harris Jr. and Sammie Lee Harris; six sisters, Molly Jude, Bessie Williams, Mattie Dansby, Kate Harris, Willie Dandridge and Essie Spears; and three brothers, J.R. Harris, Luther Harris and Bud Gamble.
The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 8, at Oak Valley Baptist Church, 194 Hampton Road. The family will receive friends from noon to 1 p.m. at the church.
Weatherford Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Elva Anderson
An avid gardener who also enjoyed cooking
Elva Juanita Miller Anderson, 74, of The Estates at Oak Ridge, formerly of Kingston, died Wednesday, March 5, 2003.
Mrs. Anderson was a member of Young's Chapel Cumberland Presbyterian Church and the Young at Heart group at First Baptist Church. She was also an avid gardener and enjoyed cooking. Her family described her as a loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.
She is survived by her daughter, Debbie Anderson and husband, Michael Roberts, of Harriman; son, James W. Anderson Jr. and wife, Nancy, of Oak Ridge; sisters, Hazel Nova of Pueblo, Colo., and Wanda Hinkle of Parsons, W.Va.; brothers, Vance Miller of Damascus, Md., and Ronald Miller of Parsons, W.Va.; grandchildren, Holly Riffe Anderson, Joshua Riffe Anderson, Adam L. Roberts and wife, Erin, Ellen M. Roberts and W.R. Sanders Jr.; and great-grandchildren, Dominic A. Roberts, William Ralph Sanders III and Naiyah Kaylyn Sanders.
She was preceded in death by her husband, James William Anderson Sr.; brothers, Dale Miller and Ray Miller; and sister, Ivy Wainbright.
The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Friday, March 7, at Young's Chapel Cumberland Presbyterian Church. The Rev. David Craig will officiate. Burial will follow at Kingston Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 6, at Kyker Funeral Home in Kingston.
The family suggests memorial donations be made to the Building Fund at Young's Chapel Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 114 Lawson Mill Road, Kingston, TN 37763.
Gladys Liles
Member of Big Mountain Baptist Church
Gladys Liles, 71, of Coalfield, died Wednesday, March 5, 2003, at Marshall C. Voss Health Care Facility in Harriman.
Born June 22, 1931, in Devonia, she lived in Coalfield for 25 years before moving to Oliver Springs in 1988. She was a member of Big Mountain Baptist Church and was employed at Roane Hosiery.
She is survived by her daughter, Linda Kay Maples of Harriman; sons, Ronnie Maples and wife, Rhonda, of Harriman, William Liles and wife, Vicki, of Clinton, and Robert Liles and wife, Kim, of Kingston; brothers, Eldon Seeber and wife, Georgia, Harlan Seeber and Lewis Seeber, all of Oliver Springs, and Austin Seeber and Ray Seeber and wife, Mary Ann, all of Clinton; sisters, Wilma Seeber and Carolyn Seeber, both of Oliver Springs; and several grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Sidney M. Liles Sr.; parents, Crosley Seeber and Mary Alice Seeber; son, Michael Timothy Liles; and sister, Lois Faye Seeber.
The funeral will be at 8 p.m. Thursday, March 6, in the chapel of Sharp Funeral Home in Oliver Springs. The Rev. Charles Northrup, the Rev. B.B. Ratledge and the Rev. Ronnie Maples will officiate. The graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Friday, March 7, at Anderson Memorial Gardens, Clinton.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Elizabeth 'Beth' Amos
Seamstress, quilter, gardener, Habitat volunteer
Elizabeth Ann "Beth" Amos, 55, of Oak Ridge, died Tuesday, March 4, 2003, at St. Mary's Residential Hospice in Knoxville.
Born June 25, 1947, in Oak Ridge, she was the daughter of John Anderson Ghormley and Dorothy Gunn Ghormley, who are deceased.
"Beth was a remarkably talented seamstress who brought beauty to multitudes of homes in the Oak Ridge area," her family said. "She loved to quilt and she created wonderful arts and crafts of all kinds from the 'scraps of life.' With much self-determination, she became a very skillful woodcrafter, adding many self-improvements to her unique home. Gardening was also a favorite hobby for her. She was truly a modern-day pioneer lady, admired by many friends and family. She will be greatly missed, but forever in our hearts."
She was also a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity.
She is survived by a daughter, April Dianne Amos of Oak Ridge; son, Donovan Paul Amos Jr. of Murfreesboro; and brother, John William Ghormley of McMinnville.
A graveside service will be conducted at 10 a.m. Friday, March 7, at Oak Ridge Memorial Park with the Rev. Garvin Greene officiating.
The family asks that any memorials be in the form of contributions to St. Mary's Residential Hospice, 7447 Andersonville Pike, Knoxville, TN 37938. Weatherford Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Edgar Philip Speicher
Printer for Evansville Press for 34 years
Edgar Philip Speicher, 83, of Clinton, died Wednesday, March 5, 2003, at Methodist Medical Center in Oak Ridge.
Born July 21, 1919, in Warrick County, Ind., he was the son of John and Wilhelmina Westerhoff Speicher. He was a member of Zion Evangelical and Reformed United Church of Christ in Evansville, Ind.
He worked for 34 years as a printer for the Evansville Press in Indiana where he was a representative of the printers union for many years. He was also employed by Moore Typesetting. He served as a government ammunition inspector stationed at Chrysler Ordnance in Evansville. During the war, he worked for the Civil Service at Republic Aviation.
He is survived by his wife, Dorothy Perrin Speicher of Clinton, formerly Dorothy Harris of Knoxville and Oak Ridge; stepchildren, Lois Thurston and husband, Lonnie, of Clinton, and Rhonda Eve Tamez Harris of Evansville; sister-in-law, Margaret Perrin Harris and husband, Robert, of Oak Ridge; stepgrandchildren, Andrew Harris Thurston of Clinton, Laurie Ann Grayson and husband, David, of Oakdale, and John Andre Tamez and wife, Cathleen, of Evansville; step-great-grandchildren, Aaron Sage Tamez and Kayla Marie Tamez; brother, Fred Speicher and wife, Juanita; nephews, William Edgar Speicher and Frederick W. Speicher; and special niece, Cordelia Jourdan, all of Evansville; and several grandnieces and grandnephews.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his first wife, Rosalie Russell Speicher, and another brother, William Speicher.
The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Friday, March 7, at Grace Lutheran Church in Oak Ridge with the Rev. Stephen G. Damos officiating. Burial will follow at Anderson Memorial Gardens, Clinton.
The family will receive friends from 10 to 11 a.m. Friday at the church. Holley-Gamble Funeral Home in Clinton is in charge of arrangements.
