Tennessee, U.S., Delayed Birth Records, 1869-1909
Maxine Whitaker Flinchum
Mother of Oak Ridge resident
Maxine Whitaker Flinchum, 69, of Maryville, died Friday, Jan. 5, 2001, at Blount Memorial Hospital.
Born Dec. 13, 1931, in Hazard, Ky., she was the daughter of Edward and Etta Catron Whitaker, both deceased. She was a former resident of Farragut.
Ms. Flinchum was described by her family and friends as a loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother who always had a smile and a hug for everyone.
She is survived by three sons, Ronnie Flinchum and his wife Kathy, of Oak Ridge, Lloyd Flinchum and his wife, Cathy, and Wayne Flinchum and his wife, Deanna, all of Knoxville; a sister, Polly Shelton of Johnson City; and four brothers, Manuel Whitaker of California, Herbert Whitaker of Kentucky, and Bob Whitaker and Luther Whitaker, both of Tellico.
Ms. Flinchum is also survived by eight grandchildren, Cindy Flinchum, Tammy Miller and Dawn Miller, all of Johnson City, Tara Flinchum of Knoxville, Jordan Flinchum, Tiffany Hughes and Ryan Hughes, all of Oak Ridge, and Donny Hughes of Illinois; three great-grandchildren, Brittney and Caitlin Miller of Johnson City, and Ethan Hughes of Illinois; and by several nieces, nephews and other relatives.
A graveside service will be conducted at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 9, at Oak Ridge Memorial Park with the Rev. Harold Scott officiating.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 tonight, Jan. 8, at Weatherford Mortuary.
Cresson Henry Kearny
Former Oak Ridge resident
Cresson Henry Kearny, 89, of Montrose, Colo., died on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2003, after several years of declining health.
According to his family, he had an interesting life that included being a world authority on nuclear war survival, starting the first U.S. jungle troops and originating more than two dozen inventions.
Born Jan. 7, 1914, in San Antonio, Texas, he was the son of Clinton Hall Kearny and Mary Chabot Cresson Kearny. He was a great-grandson of Gen. Stephen Watts Kearny, who led the American takeover of the Southwest and California in the Mexican-American War, and a great-great-stepgrandson of Gen. William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
Mr. Kearny graduated valedictorian and cadet colonel from Texas military Institute in San Antonio and attended Mercersburg Academy in Pennsylvania. He won two prestigious scholarships to Princeton University, where he was a varsity letterman on the track team, graduating in 1937 Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude with a bachelor's degree in civil engineering. The following summer he led a small expedition in the Sierra Madre of Mexico for the Laboratory of Anthropology in Santa Fe, N.M.
Subsequently, Mr. Kearny was a Rhodes Scholar to Oxford University, where he was on the varsity track and swimming teams, graduating from Queen's College with a degree in geology in 1939. While at Oxford he briefly served as a courier to Berlin, carrying information for an underground Quaker group that helped Jews escape from the Nazis.
Post-graduation Mr. Kearny was a member of a Royal Geographic Society expedition in the Peruvian Andes, then worked as an exploration geologist for Standard Oil in Venezuela. Believing the United States soon would be at war and hoping to improve American jungle warfare capability, in 1940 he quit his job and went on active duty as a reserve first lieutenant. He was sent to Panama where he formed the first U.S. Jungle Platoon, developed jungle tactics, and designed specialized equipment. Much of his equipment, for which he obtained numerous patents but refused payment, was adopted by the U.S. Army and used by hundreds of thousands of American and allied servicemen during World War II. Some of his most important inventions were a breath-inflated, backpackable boat, the jungle boot, the jungle hammock and the jungle pack. During this period he was promoted to major and intermittently worked with the office of the quartermaster general's special forces in Washington, D.C. For meritorious service he was awarded the Legion of Merit.
In 1943, Mr. Kearny married May Willacy Eskridge, also of San Antonio. He joined the Office of Strategic Services in 1944, stationed in China where he worked in demolitions, guerilla tactics, sabotage and intelligence. After contracting a crippling disease at the age of 31 he retired as an honorary lieutenant colonel.
Mr. Kearny and his wife bought a ranch in the Texas hill country, where his health improved. He occasionally worked elsewhere, including consulting at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, where in 1951 he designed the wetsuit, which unknown to him, had been invented a few months previously. He also independently invented and patented an underwater spear gun.
In 1954, he and his family moved to a farm in southwest Colorado. For several years Mr. Kearny worked as an oil, gas and uranium geologist/prospector, staking several claims, including a productive uranium claim in the last land rush in the United States. Mr. Kearny, who his family said always loved dinosaurs, also came upon the largest dinosaur bone discovered to that time, which was lying unrecognized on a rockhound's porch. The bone is now at the Smithsonian.
Concerned, since his Princeton days about the possibility of nuclear war, Mr. Kearny began to work independently on nuclear survival. In 1961, leading nuclear strategist, Herman Kahn, recruited him to join the Hudson Institute, where Kearny worked on nuclear defense issues. Due to his expertise, he met Charles Lindbergh, whom Mr. Kearny advised on building a blast shelter.
In 1964, Nobel Laureate Dr. Eugene Wigner asked Mr. Kearny to join the Civil Defense Project, which Wigner was forming at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. At ORNL, Kearny developed shelters and devices which people can make to improve their chances of surviving a nuclear conflict. His most important invention, according to his family, was the Kearny Fallout Meter, a highly reliable radiation meter made of materials commonly found in homes. His book, "Nuclear War Survival Skills," which, according to his family, is known as "the bible of Civil Defense," includes instructions and survival advice. By the mid-1990s over 600,000 copies had been sold, with translations into Hebrew, Chinese and other languages. Mr. Kearny copyrighted the book with the condition that the book could be reproduced by anyone and renounced any royalty payments. The book is available on the Internet. He also wrote numerous publications on a variety of defense topics.
Kearny took occasional leave to work on other projects. From 1967 to 1968, given the civilian equivalent of a four-star general's rank, he worked in Vietnam with the science adviser to Gen.s Westmoreland and Abrams, improving infantrymen's equipment. He also developed simple measures to counteract fuel-air explosives and was an expert on counterinsurgency. At a Defense Advance Research Project Agency Symposium in 1968, the director stated in his opening address that he "had not specialized in counterinsurgency work, but had studied the writings of leading authorities, including Mao Tse-tung, Ho Chi Minh, Che Guevara, and Cresson Kearny." In 1970, Mr. Kearney advised the Israelis on civil defense. For his defense work, in 1972 he was awarded the Decoration for Distinguished Civilian Service, the United States' highest civilian medal.
In 1979, Mr. Kearny retired from ORNL, partly to be at liberty to speak more freely against American defense policies, especially Mutual Assured Destruction, and inadequate nuclear civil defense preparations, according to his family. In 1981, he was invited to China to advise on civil defense. During the 1991 Gulf War, he recruited citizens across America to make hundreds of thousands of protective plastic rifle bags, which, according to his family, the military had neglected to provide and send them to soldiers to prevent sand from jamming their M-16s. In later years, Mr. Kearny summarized his jungle expertise in "Jungle Snafus -- and Remedies," which is used by units of the U.S. Special Forces as a training textbook. In 1996 he was presented with the Edward Teller Award for the Defense of Freedom, "for his independent and ingenious contributions to the great problem of survival."
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his younger brother and only sibling, Clinton Charles Kearny, and his eldest grandchild, Morgan Kearny Fosse.
His family said his intelligence, creativity, persistence and dedication to human survival were appreciated by his peers and earned the admiration and love of his family. According to his family, he lived a full and productive life, and had a long, loving marriage and a large and close family.
Mr. Kearny is survived by his wife of 60 years, May Willacy Eskridge Kearny; a son, Cresson Kearny and wife, Lynn Boyer Kearny; and by four daughters, Adelia Willacy Kearny and husband, John Peter Wakeland, Diana Catherine Kearny Fosse, Susanna Joyce Kearny and husband, Frederick Rommel Eberle, and Stephanie Kearny and husband, Kenneth Noel Belcourt.
He is also survived by six grandchildren, Stephen Kearny Wakeland, Anna Kearny Wakeland, Amber Eskridge Fosse, Gabriel Prins Fosse, Clay Cresson Fosse and Elise Kearny Eberle; and by one great-grandchild, Akira Lynn Fosse Jones.
Following cremation, a private family memorial service will be in Albuquerque, N.M.
Walter C. 'Jack' Brown
Retired supervisor at ORNL
Walter C. "Jack" Brown, 85, of Oak Ridge, died Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2004, at Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge following a long illness.
Mr. Brown began his employment at Oak Ridge National Laboratory on Aug. 13, 1947, and retired as a laboratory records supervisor in the information division in January 1974. He was a veteran of World War II serving with the U.S. Army in The European Theater. He was a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Lodge No. 1684. His family said he enjoyed all sports, fishing and gardening.
Mr. Brown is survived by his wife of 60 years, Sylvia Brown; his sister, Louise Brock Brown, of Clinton; his daughter, Brenda Brown Messer and husband, Mike, of Gallatin; his son, Alan Brown and wife, Lisa, of Acworth, Ga.; and by three grandchildren, Berry Michael Messer, Marcia Lynn Messer and Brent Thomas Messer, all of the Nashville area.
A memorial service will be at 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 8, 2004, at Martin Oak Ridge Funeral Home.
The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Lisa Shultz Redmond
Worked at Y-12 National Securtiy Complex
Lisa Shultz Redmond, 36, died Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2004, at her home.
Her family said her life was too short, but her love and kindness touched many and her sparkling blue eyes and adorable smile greeted everyone she met. According to her family, her love of animals, Tinkerbelle, Zar, Pretty Girl, Ashley and Weazy, brought her the nickname of Ellie Mae by her husband and soul mate of only three short years.
Mrs. Redmond was a member of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church. She was a graduate of Clinton High School and worked at the Y-12 National Security Complex until her illness.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Clyde and Helen Shultz, and by her sister in-law, Terri Shultz.
Mrs. Redmond is survived by her husband, Randy Redmond, of Clinton; two brothers, Clyde "Buddy" Shultz and Larry Shultz and wife, Charlotte, all of Clinton; and by two sisters, Rose Fox of Cookeville and Carolyn Nichols and husband, Charles, of Houston, Texas.
She is also survived by a special niece, Michelle Nichols and husband, Ryan, of Clinton; a niece, Raven Jakubowski, of Cookeville; a nephew, Jeff Shultz and wife, Jill, of Indiana; and by her mother-in-law, Margaret Redmond, of Clinton, who helped care for Mrs. Redmond during her illness and loved her as her own child.
The funeral will be at 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 8, 2004, at Holley-Gamble Funeral Home in Clinton.
Burial will be at 2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 9, at Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Clinton with the Rev. Bill McDaniel officiating.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Luzell Lipscomb Slaughter
Member of Glenwood Baptist Church
Luzell Lipscomb Slaughter, 77, of Oak Ridge, died Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2003, at Medical Center East in Birmingham, Ala.
Born Nov. 29, 1926, in Birmingham, she was the daughter of Grady Lee and Delma Hubbert Lipscomb.
She was a homemaker and member of Glenwood Baptist Church. She was a former member of the Order of Eastern Star, Chapter No. 756.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Carl Anthony Slaughter, on May 11, 1991.
Mrs. Slaughter is survived by her daughter, Jodie Nazaroff and husband, Michael, of Clovis, Calif., currently living in Kenya, Africa; her sister, Mozette Laney, of Birmingham; her grandson, Christopher Michael Nazaroff, of Burbank, Calif.; and by several nieces and nephews.
The funeral will be at noon Saturday, Jan. 10, 2004, in the chapel of Weatherford Mortuary with Jodie Slaughter Nazaroff officiating.
Burial will be at Oak Ridge Memorial Park.
The family requests that any memorials be in the form of contributions to the Michael W. Nazaroff Ministries, , P.O. Box 413, Clovis, CA 93613, or 130 Lancaster Road, Oak Ridge, TN 37830. Donations will be used toward the establishment of a medical center in Africa.
The family will receive friends from 11 a.m. to noon Saturday at the mortuary.
Bertha Marie Sampsel
Oliver Springs resident
Bertha Marie Sampsel, 75, of Oliver Springs, died Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2004, at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center in Knoxville.
Born Aug. 2, 1928, in Harlan, Ky., she was the daughter of Isham and Minnie Metcalf Noe.
She and her family moved to Tennessee in 1931. She has been a resident of the area since that time. She was homemaker.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Henry Sampsel; a sister, Ellen Butler; and by six brothers, E. C. Noe, Robert Noe, Berrie Noe, Dewey Noe, Oscar Noe and Bill Noe.
Mrs. Sampsel is survived by her daughter, Carolyn Childs, of Clinton; three sons, Stanley L. Sampsel and wife, Susan, of Oak Ridge, Gary E. Sampsel and wife, Judith, and Dale H. Sampsel, all of Oliver Springs; seven grandchildren, Tammy, Sherrie, Richard, Suzanne, Jamie, Kevin and Emily; four great-grandchildren; a sister, Dora Gouge, of Oliver Springs; two brothers, David Noe and wife, Ann, of Oliver Springs, and Jim Noe and wife, Cora, of Crossville; and by several nieces and nephews.
The funeral will be at 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 8, 2004, in the chapel of Sharp Funeral Home in Oliver Springs with the Rev. Jerry Noe officiating.
A graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 9, at Oliver Springs Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
The Rev. Moultrie H. McIntosh
Former Oak Ridge resident
The Rev. Moultrie H. McIntosh, 70, of Lexington, Ky., died Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2004, in Lexington, Ky.
He was rector of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church from 1957 to 1967.
He is survived by three children, John M. McIntosh and David C. McIntosh, both of Lexington, and Margaret E. McIntosh of Reno, Nev.; five grandchildren of Lexington; and by his former wife, Helen Churchill Wigginton McClure, of Lexington.
The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 10, 2004, at Christ Church Cathedral in Lexington.
The family requests that any memorials be in the form of contributions to Christ Church Cathedral Garden Fund, 166 Market St., Lexington, KY 40507.
W.R. Milward Mortuary-Broadway is in charge of arrangements.
