Carol Bales was somebody I knew and liked.
J.T. Jackson was somebody I’d liked to have known.
Carol Bales, 78, passed away on Sept. 7. She’s well-known locally as a longtime school teacher and the wife of legendary CHS baseball coach Walter “Bud” Bales. Carol was a 28-year member of Central Baptist Church Fountain City where she sang in the choir.
After graduating from Carson-Newman, Carol taught at Gibbs, Karns and Norwood elementary schools. Her sister and brother-in-law, Betty Jean and Jerry Reeves, were teachers as well. Carol and Bud are proud of their kids: Lori and Mike Snapp and Rusty and Pam Bales. Grandchildren are Morgan Snapp, Chelsea and Michael Hancock, Cade Snapp and Alyssa Bales.
The family will receive friends from 3-4:45 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 9, at Central Baptist Church Fountain City. The funeral service will follow at 5 p.m. with the Rev. Ron Mouser and the Rev. Bob Robinson officiating. Gentry Griffey Funeral Chapel is handling the arrangements.
Joe Thomas “J.T.” Jackson, age 79, passed away on Sept. 6 at his home. Born in a coal mining camp, Mr. Jackson grew up in Coalfield, Tennessee. He married his high school sweetheart, Shelby Rivers, and they shared 50 years of marriage and three daughters.
What makes his story unique is his striking commitment to work. He worked summers as a teenager in the mines. He later owned mines, drove a coal truck and worked for Shemco. He later worked 16 years for the Morgan County Road Department. In “retirement,” he returned to the road department every summer for 13 years.
Mr. Jackson worked at his church as groundskeeper until he “retired” again, in December 2016. He didn’t take to hobbies – just hard work. His family will receive friends today (9/8) from 6-7:30 p.m. at Middle Creek Baptist Church with funeral services to follow. Sharp’s Funeral Home in Oliver Springs is handling arrangements.
KnoxTNToday.com provides links to obituaries from 42 area funeral homes, updated daily.