Thomas Rhea Wilson

Longtime Kingsport resident and attorney Thomas Rhea Wilson (Tom) died May 1, 2019 in Brentwood, TN. He was 85.

Tom was born November 24, 1933 in Knoxville and grew up there. In 1963, Tom and his wife Millie moved to Kingsport where they would spend the next 52 years of their lives until Millie's death in 2015. After Millie's death, Tom moved to Brentwood to be closer to his children.

He graduated from Young High School in Knoxville in 1950 and received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee in 1954. He was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity. Following two years of active duty as a second lieutenant and military policeman in the United States Army, Tom graduated from law school at the University of Tennessee in 1959.

Tom began his law practice in Kingsport in 1963 with partner Cliff Sanders. He spent most of his career in private practice, specializing in real estate and probate law. Tom was a fixture in courthouses across the region and even had his own key to the Sullivan County Courthouse in Blountville. After closing his private practice, Tom joined Hunter, Smith and Davis, where he worked until his retirement in 2015.

He was an active member of First Presbyterian Church Kingsport for more than 50 years where he was an elder, deacon, and Sunday School teacher. In later years, he particularly enjoyed his time volunteering in the church's Clothes Closet. Throughout his life, Tom expressed a love for helping others, teaching adult education classes on real estate and serving as a Big Brother. He also coached youth league basketball for many years.

Tom was an avid fan of all University of Tennessee sports, especially men’s basketball, holding season tickets for 50 years.

He was a former member and president of the Cosmopolitan Kiwanis Club of Kingsport and member of the Kingsport Bar Association which recognized him for a lifetime of distinguished service in 2016.

In addition to his wife of 54 years, Millicent (Millie) Stone Wilson of Kingsport, he was preceded in death by his parents, Eugene Moore Wilson and Maude Pritchard Wilson, and brothers, Edward Wilson (Anne) and James Wilson, all of Knoxville.

Tom is survived by his two children, Thomas Rhea Wilson Jr. (Julie) and Ashley Wilson Collignon (Andy) both of Brentwood, sister, Sara Wilson Clapp of Knoxville, beloved grandchildren, Ferrell Wilson and Grace, Millicent, Caroline and Drew Collignon, all of Brentwood, as well as nieces, nephews, and cousins of both the Wilson and Leonard families.

A service of Witness to the Resurrection will be held at 2:00 pm on Sunday, May 5, 2019 at First Presbyterian Church in Kingsport with Rev. Sharon Amstutz officiating. The family will receive friends at the church following the service.  A family inurnment service will be conducted at First Presbyterian Church Columbarium.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial gifts be made to First Presbyterian Church of Kingsport, 100 W. Church Circle, Kingsport, TN, 37660.