| Sources |
- [S104] Cocke County, Tennessee, and its People, Cocke County Heritage Book Committee, (Walsworth Publishing, 1992), 234.
- [S24] The Newport Plain Talk, (http://www.newportplaintalk.com), 28 Apr 2009.
Georgia shooting victim had local ties
ATHENS, GA-One of three victims in a shooting incident Saturday in Athens, Georgia had Cocke County roots.
Ben Teague, 63, died after being shot at the Athens, Georgia Community Theater. Also killed were Marie Bruce, 47, and Tom Tanner, 40. Two other people were injured.
Law enforcement agencies continue their search for Bruce's former husband, George Zinkham, III, 57, a professor at the University of Georgia.
Teague was the son of Anna Kate (Shepherd) Teague, now of Oak Ridge, and the late Reese Teague, Newport natives. He was a grandson of the late Judge George and Laura (Williams) Shepherd and the late Ben and Eutha (Reese) Teague, well-known Cocke Countians.
Among his local relatives are an aunt, Helen (Shepherd) Gorman; and first cousins Jack and Russell Shepherd and Mike, Pat, and Chris Proffitt.
He was also the nephew of former Newport resident Doris Teague, now of Johnson City, and a first cousin of John Abe Teague, Jonesborough; Tyler Teague, Johnson City; Marshall Teague, Granite Falls, NC; Eutha (Proffitt) Hagaman, Rogersville; and Tony Proffitt, Sevierville.
Teague, who was born in 1946, graduated from Oak Ridge High School and later earned a bachelor's degree in physics from Rice University.
After working as a science teacher, radio announcer, and secretary, he became a translator. "Benny was brilliant," recalls his cousin Mike Proffitt, "and spent several years as a translator for the Department of Defense. He was fluent in several languages including Russian and German."
Teague had served as president of the American Translators Association.
He also was a regular set designer and player for the Town and Gown Players, a theatrical group in Athens, and was attending an honorary luncheon for the group at the Athens Community Theatre where the shootings occurred.
Currently the Town and Gown Players group was producing the play Sherlock Holmes. Bruce was president of the group and Tanner was playing Dr. Watson. Further performances have been cancelled.
Zinkman reportedly came into the luncheon and argued with one of the diners, then left.
"We were told that he went to his car and got two guns," said Proffitt, "and returned. Benny saw him and tried to reason with him, but was shot."
In addition to his mother, Teague is survived by his wife Fran Teague, a teacher at UGA, and a brother Tom Teague of Oak Ridge.
Funeral services and burial will be held in Athens, with a memorial service in Oak Ridge at a later date.
- [S58] Marriage Certificate.
Name B H Teague
Titles and Terms Jr
Event Type Marriage
Event Date 03 Aug 1942
Event Place Cocke, Tennessee, United States
Gender Male
Spouse's Name Anna Kate Shepherd
Spouse's Gender Female
"Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-12595-40499-75?cc=1619127 : accessed 27 November 2015), 004485979 > image 573 of 3187; citing Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville and county clerk offices from various counties.
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