James E. Hutchins "Hutch"

James E. Hutchins "Hutch", 86, Kingsport, went home to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on May 23, 2019.  He was a loving, caring and devoted husband, father, grandfather and friend.  He loved people and was truly a good friend, neighbor and associate to many in the community.  Jim will be sorely missed by all those whose lives he touched through the years.

Mr. Hutchins was born in Cleveland, TN and attended school there.  He graduated from Bradley Central High School and went to Emory and Henry College on a football scholarship.  He was a member of Beta Lambda Zeta fraternity, the Collegians, all men chorus, and the Blue Key honorary society.  He graduated with a degree in Chemistry and subsequently received a Master’s degree in Organic Chemistry from East Tennessee State University.

He had retired from Eastman Chemical Company in April, 1997 after almost 43 years of service. He initially worked for Eastman Chemical Products, Inc. in Technical Service and Development and New Product Sales.  He authored two U.S. Patents and an article for the Journal of Organic Chemistry and was a contributor to the Kirk Othmer Chemical Encyclopedia. He was a member of the American Chemical Society and the Reinforced Plastics Division of the Society of Plastics Industry where he served as Chairman of their annual conference in Chicago.  In 1967, he was transferred to the Textile Fibers Division where he served in a number of marketing management positions including four years as Eastern Regional Sales Manager in New York City and subsequently Manager, Kodel Filament Yarn Technical Service and Development.  While in the Textile Fibers Division, he was active in the American Association for Textile Technology and served as Chairman of both the local and national organization and a member of the Board of Directors for eight years.  He was an honorary member of the Phi Psi Fraternity for Textile Technology.

In 1987, he transferred to Tennessee Eastman Co. and became certified as a Quality Management Consultant and moved into the Engineering & Construction Division.  Mr. Hutchins was also a certified auditor for the Tennessee Quality Award and a facilitator for Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Principle Centered Leadership and First Things First.  During his last years of work, he was Quality Management Consultant for international capital projects in Mexico, England, Spain and the Netherlands.  He was a member of the American Cancer Society for Quality Control.

Mr. Hutchins was a long time, active and devoted member of First Broad Street United Methodist Church where he had been a Sunday school teacher, President of the Pairs and Spares Sunday school class, a member of the Administrative Board, the Church Leadership Council, the Stewardship and Finance, Missions, and Columbarium Committees.  He served as Chairman of the Staff-Parish Relations Committee and the Board of Trustees.

He was an active member of the Kingsport Lions Club where he was a Melvin Jones Fellow and was named Lion of the Year for 2012.  He served as Turtle Derby Chairman and on the Annual Golf Tournament Committee.  He was a past member of the Kingsport Jaycees and the Board of Directors of the Kingsport Boys Club and of Holston Services, Inc.  He served as a Loaned Executive to the United Way of Kingsport and as an Advisor in Junior Achievement.  He volunteered at Friends In Need and Meals On Wheels.  In addition he was a Life Member of the American Numismatics Society, Blue Ridge Numismatics Society, North Carolina Numismatics Assn., South Carolina Numismatics Society and the Tennessee Numismatic Society of which he served as President from 1991 through 1993.

He was preceded in death by his father, J.E. Hutchins, his mother, Mary Hutchins Ramsay, and a brother, Reed.

He is survived by his loving, devoted wife of 65 years, Bobbie Lou; two daughters, Mary Lou McElhare and her husband Tim of Levittown, PA, and LeAnne Kahn and her husband Chris of Birmingham, AL; six grandchildren, Matt McElhare, Katelyn McElhare, Bain Rhodes, Sam Rhodes, Lindsey Kahn Anderson, and Hunter Kahn.  His grandchildren will always remember him as a Papaw filled with much love and pride in them.  He was so proud of his family and they gave him immense happiness.

Inurnment in the Columbarium for the immediate family will be held on Wednesday, May 29, 2019, followed by a memorial service at 2:00 pm at First Broad Street United Methodist Church with The Rev. Jack P. Weikel officiating.  The family will receive friends at the church following the service.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the First Broad Street United Methodist Church Mission Committee, 100 E. Church Circle, Kingsport, TN 37660.