Sept. 12, 2004

Mary Elizabeth Johnston

Mary Elizabeth Vann Johnston of the Cave Creek community in Roane County died Wednesday, Sept. 1, following a brief illness.

Mrs. Johnston was born May 14, 1908, the daughter of John Wylie and Bertie Smith Vann and sister of George and Jack Vann.

She and her two brothers were orphaned at a young age when their parents died in an influenza epidemic. She married James Clarence Johnston on Dec. 20, 1924, and was a member of Cave Creek Primitive Baptist Church for more than 75 years. Mrs. Johnston’s husband and brothers and three of her grandchildren also preceded her in death.

Survivors include a son, Curtis Johnston of Roane County; sons and daughters-in-law, James Vann and Pat Johnston of Knoxville, George Zirkle and Linda Johnston of Loudon, and Tom and Betty Johnston of Knoxville; daughters and sons-in-law, June and Wayne Cannon of Strawberry Plains and Janis and Bob Pomfret of Knoxville; grandchildren, Father Vann Johnston Jr. of Knoxville; Beth and Neil Schmitt of Knoxville; Drs. Steve and Gina Johnston of Jackson; Amy and Nick Iverson of Knoxville; Theresa and Mark Parrott of Sweetwater; Kathy and Ed Graham of Knoxville; John W. Johnston of Loudon; Brad and Suzannah Cannon of Strawberry Plains; Steve Cannon of Austin, Texas; Kristi and Keith Perau of Reno, Nev.; Michael and Megan Johnston of Memphis; John and Heather Pomfret of Atlanta; and Robin and Vic Wharton of Knoxville; and 19 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were held Friday, Sept. 3, at Cave Creek Primitive Baptist Church with Elder J. B. Huskey, Elder Marvin Smith, and Father Vann Johnston officiating. Interment followed in Cave Creek Cemetery.

Contributions may be made to Cave Creek Primitive Baptist Church, P.O. Box 464, Loudon, TN 37774.

Ray Fulkerson

Raymond Joseph Fulkerson of Immaculate Conception Parish in Knoxville died Monday, Aug. 30, at St Mary’s Medical Center in Knoxville.

Mr. Fulkerson served as chairman of the parish-council administration committee at IC. He was a retired general manager for Sherwood Memorial Gardens in Alcoa. He was a member of the Pre-Interment Association of America and the National Cemetery Association and served for many years on the board of directors for the Cemetery Association of Tennessee. He was a member of the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels.

Survivors include his wife, Helen Armstrong Fulkerson of Knoxville; son and daughter-in-law Joseph and Gwen Fulkerson of Corydon, Ky.; daughters and sons-in-law Judy and Lamar Wilson and Mary Faye Allender, all of Knoxville; and Angela and John Hayes of Gallatin; 11 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; two brothers; and one sister.

The funeral Mass was held Thursday, Sept. 2, at IC Church with Father James A. Haley, CSP, officiating. Entombment followed in Sherwood Memorial Gardens.

Memorials may be made to Immaculate Conception Church, 414 W. Vine Ave., Knoxville, TN 37902, or to Magnolia Avenue United Methodist Church, 2700 E. Magnolia Ave., Knoxville, TN 37914.

Betty Elmlinger

Elizabeth “Betty” Elmlinger, 82, of Kingsport died at her home Sunday morning, Aug. 8.

Mrs. Elmlinger was born in Chicago and graduated from Rosary College in Illinois. She had lived in Kingsport since 1971 and for many years served as director of religious education for St Dominic Parish. Before coming to Tennessee she also served as a DRE for parishes in Ohio and Illinois.

Her wide-ranging interests included causes for peace, justice, and the environment and the alleviation of hunger and disease. In her later years she and her husband, Andy (now deceased), traveled widely in their camper van.

Survivors include four daughters, Mary Pat Elmlinger of Kingsport; Beth Niebuhr and husband Al of Swansea, Ill.; Anne Elmlinger of Silver Spring, Md.; and Margaret Davis and husband D. Wayne of Collierville; three sons, Daniel Elmlinger and wife Bobbie of Hagerstown, Md.; James Elmlinger and wife Bridget of Fredericksburg, Va.; and Thomas Elmlinger and wife Lenda of Brentwood; and nine grandchildren.

The funeral Mass was held Thursday, Aug. 12, at St. Dominic Church with Father Charles Burton officiating. Interment followed in Tri-Cities Memory Gardens, Blountville.

Memorials may be made to St. Dominic Church, 2517 N. John B. Dennis Highway, Kingsport, TN 37660 or to the diocesan Office of Justice–Peace–Integrity of Creation, 119 Dameron Ave., Knoxville, TN 37917.

Gordon Bonnyman

George Gordon Bonnyman, 84, of Sacred Heart Parish in Knoxville died after a lengthy illness Friday, July 30.

Mr. Bonnyman was born in Knoxville and graduated from Princeton University. He served as pack artillery battery commander in World War II with Merrill’s Marauders in the China-Burma-India theater. He was awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star with Cluster, the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantry Medal, the Presidential Unit Citation, and the Chinese Medal of Merit. Mr. Bonnyman served as president of Blue Diamond Coal Co. and director of the National Coal Association.

He is survived by his wife, Isabel Ashe Bonnyman; daughters Isabel Stanley and husband Brooke of Johnson City and Anne Bonnyman of Wilmington, Del.; sons Gordon Bonnyman Jr. and wife Claudia of Nashville; Alexander Bonnyman and wife Jean of Rome, Ga.; and Brian Bonnyman and wife Jean of Knoxville; 12 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

The funeral Mass was held Tuesday, Aug. 3, at Sacred Heart Cathedral with Father T. Allen Humbrecht officiating. Interment followed in Highland Memorial Cemetery, Knoxville.

Memorials may be made to Sacred Heart Cathedral School, 711 Northshore Drive, Knoxville, TN 37919 or to the Interfaith Health Clinic, 315 Gill Ave., Knoxville, TN 37917.

James Connor

James Joseph Connor, 81, of Knoxville, formerly of Philadelphia, Pa., died Sunday, Aug. 15, after a long illness.

A member of All Saints Parish in Knoxville, Mr. Connor retired from the Philadelphia Police Department and Friends Hospital in Philadelphia.

He is survived by his wife, Louise Burton Connor; sons James H. Connor of Pippersville, Pa.; Dennis and wife Diane Connor of Wayne, Pa.; and Larry Connor and Raymond Connor of Bensalem, Pa.; daughter Kathleen Danno of Philadelphia; stepson Julius and wife Patricia von Clef of Knoxville; stepdaughter Louise von Clef of Chadds Ford, Pa.; 10 grandchildren; and one sister.

The funeral Mass was held Saturday, Aug. 21, at All Saints Church with Father Brent Shelton officiating. The rite of committal was held Monday, Aug. 23, at the Veterans Cemetery rotunda, Knoxville.

Memorials may be made to the Homebound Ministry of All Saints Church, 620 N. Cedar Bluff Road, Knoxville, TN 37923.