Thomas Raymond Wilkie, Jr

Thomas Tom Raymond Wilkie, Jr., 74, of Kingsport, passed away March 10, 2009, at his home following an extended illness.

Tom was born in Waterville, North Carolina and attended school in Lenoir City, Tennessee. He graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1958 with a B.S. degree in Industrial Engineering. While at UT, he was a member of Alpha Pi Mu honorary engineering society, and Sigma Phi Epsilon social fraternity. Tom was a member of First Broad Street United Methodist Church where he was involved with the Food Ministry and a member of Pairs and Spares Sunday School class.

He loved being with his family which included his dogs, bowling, fishing, playing golf, watching the "critters" he fed in his back yard, going to the gem and mineral shows, working with and cutting gemstones, and talking with other hobbyist about gems and minerals.

Tom spent most of his life in Kingsport, where he was employed by Eastman Chemical Company from his days as a co-operative education student in the mid 1950's until his retirement in 1995. He held a professional engineering license in Tennessee.

Mr. Wilkie served as a scoutmaster for twelve years and was a member of various service clubs over the years. He served as president of the Unaka Rock and Mineral Society and the Kingsport Gems and Minerals Society. For several years he has been a volunteer teacher of gem cutting at the William Holland Lapidary School in Young Harris, Georgia, and the Southeastern Federation of Mineralogical Societies Lapidary Workshops in Little Switzerland, North Carolina.

Tom was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas Raymond and Clara Bell Wilkie and his first wife, Elizabeth Moneyhon Wilkie.

Survivors include his wife, Genevieve Smith Wilkie; daughter, Cynthia Sue Wilkie, San Jose CA; son, Thomas Scott Wilkie, Atlanta, GA; sister, Helen Wilkie Hagan and husband Joseph, Lenoir City, TN; sisters-in-law Eleanor Smith Ford and husband Bill, Kingsport, Juliana Smith, Seattle WA, Gail Smith Hale, Kingsport, Becky Anderson, Oakland, CA; brothers-in-law, Gregory Smith Jr., Australia, John Winthrop Smith, Taos, New Mexico, Tom Owens, Knoxville; mother-in-law, Louise Smith, Kingsport, and several nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. Friday at First Broad Street United Methodist Church. Inurnment will follow in the church columbarium.

There will be a reception held in the fellowship hall of the church, at the conclusion of the services.

Honorary Pallbearers will be Jack Mahaffey, Charles Cox, Dick Baker, Cleatis Meade, Bill R. Moore, Tim Henniss, Larry Keebler, Jim Briddell, and Lynn Sorrell.

Memorial contributions may be made to First Broad Street United Methodist Church, Food Ministry, P.O. Box 1346, Kingsport, TN 37662; or to The American Heart Association, P.O. Box 985, Kingsport, TN 37662.