Earl L. Feathers

Earl L. Feathers, of Kingsport, TN, died Thursday, May 28, 2020, at Holston Valley Medical Center. Born December 10, 1927, he was the seventh son (and had three sisters), all deceased, of Sam M. and Faye Webb Feathers, of Route 1, Bluff City. Earl graduated from Blountville High School in 1944. He went into the Army March 1, 1946 and was discharged as a Staff Sgt. In July 1947, after thirteen months in Italy. Earl spent 9 years in the Army Reserve, discharged as a Master Sgt. In 1957.

He attended King College one year in 1947-48, and then attended ETSU for two years. Oakwood Markets hired him as Office Manager at their store on W. Sullivan St. in 1952. In 1957, he and Dick Stout started the Minute Markets. Earl was General Manager until 1965. From 1965 until 1978, he operated Quik Trip Markets and sold insurance. In 1978, he began work as Business Manager for Hamlett-Dobson Funeral Homes until his retirement in 1993.

Earl married Mary Ruth Yonce December 15, 1950, (now deceased) and had four children, Sandra Feathers Barker and husband Joe, Donald Feathers and wife Cindy, Robert “Bob” Feathers and wife Jennifer, all of Kingsport, and Earl Feathers, Jr. and wife Shannon, now divorced, of Mt. Holly, NC; his grandchildren, Logan Barker, Jody Barker (Joshua) Cowart, Lauren and Rebecca Feathers, and Mary Malinda and Samuel Feathers.

He married Evelyn “Toodie” Henson Miller March 11, 1999. She has three children, Jean Miller Plecker and husband Jim of Pelham, AL, Ann Miller Skipper and husband Nick of Afton, TN, and Roger Miller of Estill Springs, TN. Evelyn had two grandchildren, Adam Plecker and Lauren Miller.

Earl was a member of Buffalo Christian Church, Bluff City, from 1940 to 1948, First Christian Church in Kingsport, from 1949 to 1983, and Charter Member of Airport Christian Church, Blountville, TN, from 1983 to present.

Special thanks to Preston Place Suites for their care.

Memorial contributions may be made to F.I.S.H., Inc, P. O. Box 177, Kingsport, TN 37662 – a non-profit founded by his daughter & her husband in 1993 that provides life-saving assistance in the Islands of Lake Nicaragua. www.fishnicaragua.net

The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 31, 2020, at Hamlett-Dobson Funeral Home, Kingsport. The funeral service will follow at 4 p.m.

Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. on Monday, June 1, 2020, at Mountain Home National Cemetery.