James Artis Henderson, Jr. remembrance

 

James Ardis Henderson, Jr., known affectionally as "Jr," passed away on October 10, 2024 at home.   He was 63 years old. 

He is preceded in death by his parents, James A. Henderson, Sr.and Cecilia Mae (Tucker) Henderson, and by a nephew, Justin Machen. 

Survivors include sister Audrey Faye Henderson, sister Milicent (Eric) Mack, of Georgia, his fraternal twin Willie Thomas Henderson, of California and sister Karen (Jerry) Machen of Gray, Tennessee as well as nephews, one niece, uncles, cousins and other relatives and friends. 

Arrangements are being handled by Clark Funeral Chapel & Cremation Service, Inc. in Kingsport.  A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Nov 2 @ 11 am at Clark's Funeral Chapel, located at 802 E Sevier St in Kingsport.

His remains will be interred at the VA in Mountain Home, Tennessee (Johnson City). 

Riverview Fall Clean-up Breaks Record: The LOWEST Trash-Litter Amount Collected in 30+ Years

 

One community says 'no more litter' and apparently the message is getting across.  The annual Fall trash and litter neighborhood collection in Riverview collected the lowest amount of litter gathered in more than 30 years of the bi-annual event.  

"It is absolutely a testament to the community that puts forth a positive effort into making its streets and public areas free of trash," says Sharon Hayes, director of the Keep Kingsport Beautiful campaign.  "Based on past community collection drives, I expected to see a lot more trash and litter today, discarded paper, liquor bottles, even syringes.  We didn't see any of that today.  Mainly for me, it's been just cigarette butts."

New Kingsport Mayor Paul Montgomery noticed that, too, as he picked up litter with former Mayor Pat Shull and current alderman and vice mayor Darrell Duncan.  "I picked up more cigarette butts than anything else and one empty pop bottle," he said.  "But I'm not surprised at the success of keeping the neighborhood free of trash and litter.  You can see the pride that people have in the neighborhood with the well-kept lawns."

Normally, the twice-a-year pickup campaigns will collect at least two tons of trash and litter for Kingsport Public Works crews, but this year, the amount was less than a ton.  

36 volunteers fanned out on the streets of Riverview and also the Dale-East Sevier-Maple and Oak Street areas.  The entire collection process took about an hour.

"We were glad to have the people that gave of their time on a beautiful Saturday morning," said South Central Kingsport Community Development director Johnnie Mae Swagerty.  "There was wonderful fellowship and we had a great lunch afterwards.  Our next litter collection activity will be in April and we're hoping that the weekend's event will start a trend of getting others involved in keeping their own neighborhoods free from unsightly litter, too."

"I think the trend is there," Mayor Montgomery said.  "I don't think it would be difficult to keep it going and growing, since South Central Kingsport does such a good job of promoting and emphasizing its program to local residents."

"We do hope the no-littering trend spreads to other neighborhoods in Kingsport through cleanups," says Hayes.  "We'd love for other neighborhoods to "pick up" on it (pardon the pun).  If we can share the good news of how beautiful the neighborhoods of Kingsport look free of litter, let it be contagious."

 

To get information on how to organize litter cleanups in your Kingsport neighborhood, email Hayes at   shayes@kingsportchamber.org or call (423) 392-8814.

Sons and Daughters of Douglass Alumni Board Meeting

 

The Sons and Daughters of Douglass Alumni Association Board will meet in regular session on Saturday, October 12, 2024.

The meeting will be held in the Eastman Board room of the V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex, 301 Louis Street, Kingsport, TN at 11 AM.

It's an open agenda with just a few things to discuss.

Please plan to be there and help our Board with important decisions that affect the organization and its involvement in the community.

Brenda Clark remembrance

 

Ms. Brenda M. Clark, a daughter, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin, and friend passed away peacefully on September 26, 2024. Brenda was preceded in death by her father, Mr. William R. Clark; grandparents; Mr. & Mrs. James H. Clark, Sr., Mr. Wilmer L. Brown, Sr., and Ms. Caroline Hall. 

Brenda was born in Kingsport, Tennessee to William and Constance Clark and graduated from Dobyns-Bennett High School. She worked as a bank teller for several years as well as a secretary for many years before being put on disability.

Brenda was a sassy ball of fire from a very young age. She was a very giving, independent, vivacious woman with a heart of gold. There was NOTHING in this world that she would not have done for Kayla who was her partner in crime or for William who was her entire world. 

Brenda will be deeply missed by her beloved daughter, Kayla L. Clark (Corey T. Harless), Church Hill, TN; her beloved grandson, William R.C. Harless, Church Hill, TN; her mother, Constance G. Clark, Kingsport, TN; her brother, Carl G. (Janie) Cornett; Kingsport, TN; her sisters, Sonya L. Clark; Church Hill, TN, and Carmen R. Clark; Gray, TN; her niece, Paris R. Cornett, Atlanta, GA; two aunts Frances L. Graves, Kingsport, TN and Ethel Wilson, Philadelphia, PA; three uncles, Thomas A. (Teresa) Brown, Bristol, TN, Charles T. Smith, Charlotte, NC; and George Hall, Philadelphia, PA as well as her Godmother, Jessie M. Dennis, Kingsport, TN. 
Brenda also leaves behind a host of cousins (most who were like siblings) and friends.

The visitation will be held at the Central Baptist Church, 301 Carver Street, Kingsport on Saturday, October 5, 2024 from 12 Noon to 1 PM.  The Celebration of Life will be held right after from 1 PM to 2 PM at the church.

“Missing you isn’t the problem…It’s knowing that you’re never coming back that causes so much pain.”

Professional care of the Clark family provided by Clark Funeral Chapel and Cremation Service, 802-806 East Sevier Avenue, Kingsport, TN 37660.