Sources |
- [S9] Smoky Mountain Historical Society Newsletter, Smoky Mountain Historical Society, Vol. XXXII, No. 4, page 9, 10, Winter 2006.
- [S26] Berry Funeral Home, (www.berryfuneralhome.com), 2 Dec 2015.
October 13, 1921 - December 2, 2015
Grace Free Parkhill, age 94, was born in Sevier County, TN (On Webs Creek near Pittman Center) October 13, 1921, to James Wilson Free and Katherine Elizabeth Matthews. She was a graduate of Pittman Center High School. She attended Berea College. She also did work at the University of Tennessee and Scarritt College. She received certification in both Christian Education and Evangelism, and was concentrated as a Diaconal Minister in the Holston Conference of the United Methodist Church. She served churches in Knoxville, Church Street United Methodist and Washington Pike; and Blount County, Broadway United Methodist, as well as serving as Executive Director of Contact Teleministries of Knoxville and helped to open a Contact Teleministries to serve Blount County.
After retiring from Holston Conference churches, Grace spent several years volunteering at James White's Fort, East Tennessee Historical Society, and the National Alliance for the Mentally ill (NAMI) of Knoxville. She also worked over 20 years with her son who developed the Tennessee Stage Company. She worked through him for the Know Area Theater Coalition and the Tennessee Theater Association as well as the Arts Council of Greater Knoxville. The KATC established an award in her honor to be given to the volunteer of the year "The Grace Parkhill Volunteer Award" and several persons in the Knoxville area were given this award for their volunteer efforts.
She and Thomas Marion Parkhill, Jr. were married June 20, 1953 at First Methodist Church in Knoxville. They have a son, Thomas Marion Parkhill, III of Knoxville. In addition two nieces have lived in their home, along with two girls from Africa, and an AFS daughter from the Netherlands. Their home was a place that several nieces spent their summer. They have supported a boy and a girl at Hiwassee College, and Tennessee Wesleyan College, a nephew at Beret College and a foreign student at Lincoln Memorial University. They have an acquired son, Macon Fowler, who keeps in close touch.
Most of her time recently has been spent in helping her husband in his work – growing and hybridizing Iris.
She was preceded in death by her parents, James Wilson and Katherine Elizabeth Matthews Free; daughter, Mary Elizabeth Parkhill Leitson; brothers, William Houston, Marshall Monroe, Seldon Free; and sisters, Gertrude Free Parton Sands and Irene Free Calhoun.
She is survived by her husband of 63 years, Thomas Marion Parkhill, Jr.; son, Thomas Marion Parkhill, III; niece, Mrs. Willis Patten Poore (Evelyn Free), her two children W.P. 3rd and David Lynn Poore; four grandchildren and children of her late nephew, Clinton Dent Free and wife Clois Fay Terry, their children, Denise, Janet, Beth Ann and Tony Clint Free, and grandchildren.
"As the wheat heads in the field wait for the cycle of the harvester, she waits the time of the harvest – her time is shorter…"
A memorial service will be conducted Monday, December 7, 2015 at 1:30pm at Church Street United Methodist Church. The family will receive friends following the memorial service. Condolences may be offered at www.berryfuneralhome.com
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