East Tennesseans are among the most generous people on earth. I’m reminded of that every evening while compiling obituaries. Here are two stories of lifelong volunteers.
Benjamin “Doc” Husk, 80, of Morristown, died Jan. 6 from congestive heart failure. According to his obituary, Ben enlisted in the U.S. Navy immediately upon graduation from high school. His first assignment was Bethesda Naval Hospital where he met his wife, Nancy, who was also enlisted in the Navy. Ben was a combat medic and later a corpsman in Vietnam. He served on four vessels and at various naval support centers. He retired in 1979 as administrator of the naval hospital in Millington, Tenn.
Ben and Nancy moved to Morristown to be near her mom. He got a degree from Walters State and embarked on a business career. But he and Nancy weren’t satisfied to kick back. They traveled to Africa on mission trips to Burkina Faso and Uganda, where they opened two medical clinics to provide basic medical care to the war-torn region.
Later, they moved to Fužine, Croatia, where they ran the Peace Center to help the people of Bosnia, Croatia and Serbia following the Balkan war.
The obituary continues: “For the past 15 years, Ben was a faithful member of the First Baptist Church, Morristown. Previously, while he was a member of Montvue Baptist Church, Ben was instrumental in starting the work with Hispanics. Although neither could speak Spanish, Ben and Nancy were charter members of Iglesia Bautista La Gran Comision, and were instrumental in starting several other Spanish language churches. He volunteered for many years at Helping Hands. For the past 11 years, Ben has volunteered at Appalachian Outreach of Carson-Newman University where he was responsible for maintaining supplies and helping with the collection and distribution of donations.”
Ben and Nancy Husk, two young naval volunteers who met at Bethesda, were married for 52 years until her death. They leave three children, six grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
Susan “Gayle” Rose, 70, of Maryville, died at sunrise Jan. 11, surrounded at home by her family, according to her obituary. Survivors include husband Jim Rose, two daughters and two grandchildren.
The obituary reads in part: “Gayle was a graduate of Everett High School, class of ’66, and Walters State CC where she became a registered nurse. She worked at Blount Memorial Hospital and Asbury Nursing Home. She devoted her life to taking care of others. Gayle was a wonderful wife, mother and mamaw. Lover of Seinfeld, Burt’s Bees and online shopping, she had a quick wit and was the glue that held everything together. She was proud of having jet black hair that even chemo couldn’t touch. She fought bravely until the end.”
Services for Gayle Rose will be 5-7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 18, at Smith Trinity Chapel in Maryville. And the giving continues. “After services, cut flowers will be donated to Random Acts of Flowers to bring others joy.”