Donald Padgett

Kingsport-Don Padgett, 92, passed away peacefully at Brookdale, Rock Springs Road, Kingsport on December 23, 2016.

Don was born in Hayesville, North Carolina March 3, 1924, the seventh of nine children of Glen Guy Padgett and Flora Belle [Smith] Padgett. After graduation from high school in 1942 Don moved to Asheville, North Carolina to begin training as an instructor in radio communications. After completing training in Asheville, he moved to Philadelphia to attend a school sponsored by the military in aircraft radio communications. From Philadelphia he was sent to the Douglas Aircraft factory in El Segundo, California for additional training. He was the final inspector on the radios installed in the Douglas Aircraft "Dauntless Dive Bombers". He then enlisted in the U. S. Navy in Los Angeles. He was subsequently transferred to the Naval Air Station Memphis, Tennessee to teach radio technology to World War II bomber pilots .

Don married Ivo Everhart of Rogersville, Tenn. in 1944 and they celebrated 71 years of marriage in 2015. Don moved to Kingsport in 1946 where he began work at Kingsport Press Inc. in the Receiving Department. Over his 42 years at Kingsport Press he worked his way through several plant positions and ultimately into management where he served as an account executive and head of the Estimating and Billing Departments. His career entailed working individually with customers and helping them determine the finished design of a book. He followed the book design process from beginning to end. His knowledge of the entire publication process led him to suggest two novel ideas to management. The first was to establish The Bookcraft Club where employees from various departments would share their knowledge of their portion of the bookmaking process with other employees, thus making everyone feel they were an integral part of the finished product. The second idea was a marketing tool to show the Press' unique capabilities. Don suggested that The Press create the world's smallest book. A set of leather bound, gilt edged books, each smaller than a postage stamp, were produced and four volumes were given to the Royal Doll House in London, England. During the height of Don's career 35 million books were printed in a single year at Kingsport Press.

In the early 1950's Don was an adult leader for the Boy Scouts and Civil Air Patrol.
In 1954 Don joined the Kingsport Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons #688 and
Chapter # 195 Royal Arch Masons, Council #117 of Cryptic Masons and in 1957 Kingsport Commandery #33. He was a 32 degree Scottish Rite Mason and served both theYork and Scottish Masonic Rites for over fifty years. In 1972 Don was installed as Grand Warder of the Grand Commandery of the State of Tennessee.

Don was pre-deceased by six of his siblings and his wife Ivo [November 2015]. He is survived by his only child, Karen Padgett Prewitt and her husband Bill of Charleston S.C. and two older sisters, Marie Thomas of Hayesville, N.C. and Ethel Gaspierik of Creamery Pa. and several nieces and nephews, as well as devoted family friends David and Connie Pfountz. The family wishes to thank Don's caregivers for their compassionate care.

Visitation will be held at the Hamlet-Dobson Chapel at 11:00 am Tuesday, December 27, 2016, followed by the service at 12 noon with Rev. Joe Green officiating. Interment will be at Oak Hill Memorial Park with Masonic Rites at 1:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc. 1033 Long Prairie Road, Suite 5, Flower Mound, TX, 75022-4230, or to First Broad Street United Methodist Church, 100 E. Church Circle, Kingsport, TN 37660.

May his lifetime of kindness to others serve as an example to all of us.

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