Obituaries
Carlene Leona Rathert
Feb 14, 2026
Carlene Leona Rathert, age 86 of Dayton, passed away at home on Saturday, February 15, 2026. She was born in Oklahoma on August 31, 1939, the daughter of the late Joseph and Leona (Rhodes) Haskins. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Richard Lee Rathert.
Carlene was a high school graduate and was formerly the owner and operator of...
Thomas Eugene "Tom" Way
Feb 13, 2026
Thomas Eugene “Tom” Way, age 78 of Dayton, passed away at his home on Friday, February 13, 2026. He was born in Battle Creek, Michigan, on April 18, 1947, the son of the late Harold and Muriel (Mitchell) Way. He was also preceded in death by his wife, Grace Way, and his daughter, Alicia Way.
A Dayton resident since 1980, Tom...
Shirley Ann Arnold
Feb 13, 2026
Shirley Ann Arnold, age 77 of Dayton, passed away at Small Town Senior Living at Deer Ridge on Friday, February 13, 2026. She was born in Rockwood on May 4, 1948, the daughter of the late T.A. and Lozenia (Tollett) Swafford. She was also preceded in death by her first husband, Gus Kennedy; her second husband, Rev. Donald Ray Arnold;...
Helen Maxine Hicks
Feb 12, 2026
Helen Maxine Hicks, age 86 of Dayton Mountain, passed away at her home on Thursday, February 12, 2026. She was born in Dayton on March 20, 1939, the daughter of the late Willis and Nora (Williams) Montgomery. She was also preceded in death by her sisters, Almeda “Mickey” Davis and Mattie Jane Montgomery and her brothers, James Farris Montgomery, Murl...
Gwyn Guinn Jacobsen Housley
Feb 11, 2026
Gwendolyn “Gwyn” Guinn Jacobsen Housley, age 71 of Dayton, passed away at her home on Tuesday, February 11, 2026. She was born in Ocala, Florida, on December 9, 1954, the daughter of the late Roy and Thelma (Godwin) Guinn. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Pete Housley and her brother, Roy “Trent” Guinn, Jr.
Gwyn made Dayton her...
Jean Elizabeth Booth
Feb 10, 2026
Jean Elizabeth Booth, age 88 of Dayton, passed away on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, in Dayton. She was born on August 24, 1937, in Rockwood, the daughter of the late Thomas and Mary (Revis) Booth. She was also preceded by her brother, Bo Booth; her sisters, Brenda Gates and Bessie Cunningham; and her infant daughter, Ginger Benson.
An accomplished pianist and...
Connie Jean Thompson
Feb 10, 2026
Connie Jean Thompson, age 71 of Spring City, went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, at her residence after a brief illness. She was born in Rockwood on March 29, 1954, the daughter of the late Charles Gordon Smith and Minnie (Pendergrass) Smith. She was also preceded in death by her first husband, Jerry Gill;...
Sherry Marie Ewton
Feb 3, 2026
Sherry Marie Ewton, age 44 of Sale Creek, passed away on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, at NHC Healthcare in Dunlap. She was born in Chattanooga on June 17, 1981, the daughter of James and Hazel (Williams) Ewton of Sale Creek.
A graduate of Sale Creek High School, Sherry spent most of her life in Sale Creek. She was employed at both...
Joe Frank Olds
Feb 2, 2026
Joe Frank Olds, age 83 of Dayton, passed away at Deer Ridge in Dayton on Monday, February 2, 2026. He was born in Bessimer, Alabama on July 31, 1942.
Joe spent three years at Tennessee State University before completing two years of nursing school. From 1961 to 1966, he served in the US Air Force as a cook. Following his parents'...
Frank Lee Hall
Jan 30, 2026
Frank “Lee” Hall, age 75 of Milledgeville, GA, passed away on Friday, January 30, 2026, at Bostic Nursing Home in Milledgeville, GA. He was born on August 14, 1950, in Rhea County, the son of the late Jake and Dorothy (Allen) Hall. He is also preceded in death by his sisters, Nola Williams and Evelyn Reese, and his brother, David...
Wilburn "Mack" Smith
Jan 25, 2026
Wilburn “Mack” Smith, age 61 of Dayton, passed away at his home on Sunday, January 25, 2026. He was born in Dayton on August 5, 1964, the son of the late Clyde Smith and Patsy (Price) Gossett. He was also preceded in death by his brothers, Clarence Smith, Billy Smith, and Jerry Smith, and his sister, Pearl Smith.
Mack was a...
Glenn Thomas Linebaugh
Jan 23, 2026
Glenn Thomas Linebaugh, age 80 of Dayton, passed away on Friday, January 23, 2026, at Life Care of Rhea County in Dayton. He was born in Youngstown, Ohio, on December 8, 1945, the son of the late Ralph and Lucy (Haines) Linebaugh. He was also preceded in death by his daughter, Alona Linebaugh; his brothers, Rev. Dale Linebaugh, Gary Linebaugh,...
Karen Beene
Jan 23, 2026
Karen Elaine Beene, age 60 of Graysville, passed away on Friday, January 23, 2026, at Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga. She was born in Chattanooga on June 28, 1965, the daughter of the late Marvin “Bo” Sims and Sherron (Knox) Sims. She was also preceded in death by her brothers, Marvin Sims, Jr., Curtis Sims, and Michael “Andy” Sims.
Karen was a...
Richie Messer, Jr.
Jan 20, 2026
Richie Messer, Jr., age 80 of Dayton, passed away on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at Erlanger Baroness Hospital in Chattanooga. He was born in East Liverpool, Ohio, on October 10, 1945, the son of the late Richie Messer, Sr. and Frances (Smallwood) Messer. He was also preceded in death by his brother, Leon Messer; and his sister, Janet Marple.
A Dayton...
James Garrett Work-Grierson
Jan 16, 2026
James Garrett “Scooby” Work-Grierson, age 27 of Dayton, passed away on Friday, January 16, 2026, at Erlanger Baroness Hospital in Chattanooga. He was born in Pensacola, Florida, on June 22, 1998, the son of the late Gary Grierson and Joanna Work of Pensacola, Florida, who survives him.
He made Dayton his home in 2019. At Walmart, he worked as a stocking...
Sharon Marie Wilkey
Jan 14, 2026
Sharon Marie Wilkey, age 81 of Dayton, passed away at her home on Wednesday, January 14, 2026. She was born in Dayton on September 11, 1944, the daughter of the late John William Beene and Lillian Lucille (McBroom) Beene. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Darrell Austin Wilkey, on December 19, 2025.
Sharon was raised in Graysville before...
John A. Mathis
Jan 11, 2026
John A. Mathis, age 93 of Knoxville, passed away at Ft. Sanders Regional Medical Center on January 11, 2026. He was born in Dayton on October 5, 1932, the son of the late Pearl and Beatrice (Silvers) Mathis. He is also preceded in death by his son, Alan Mathis.
John was born and raised in Dayton before enlisting in the U.S....
Beverly Jane Campbell
Jan 9, 2026
Beverly “Jane” Campbell, age 96 of Evensville, passed away on Friday, January 9, 2026, at Dominion Senior Living in Hixson. She was born on February 2, 1929, in Idaho Falls, Idaho, the daughter of the late Harley and Violet (Johannessen) Gustin. She is also preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth Campbell.
An accomplished artist with a Master's degree in Humanities,...
Florella Grace "Flo" Harvey
Jan 8, 2026
Florella Grace “Flo” Harvey, age 83 of Pikeville, passed away on Thursday, January 8, 2026, at her home. She was born on September 10, 1942, in Chattanooga, the daughter of the late Ollie and Virgie (Smith) Mears. She is also preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Donald Ray Harvey; her daughters, Sharon Fuson and Lorinda Elser; and...
Michelle Suzanne Sanderlin
Jan 2, 2026
Michelle Suzanne Sanderlin, age 65 of Dayton, passed away at Rhea Medical Center on Friday, January 2, 2026. She was born in Dayton on November 23, 1960, the daughter of the late John and Patricia (Wooten) Sanderlin. She was also preceded in death by her brother, Rysom Sanderlin; and her aunt, Sharon Patten.
Michelle spent most of her life in Dayton,...
Subscribe
Subscribe to get alerts on new obituaries
SUPPORT AFTER A LOSS
Circle of Friends+ provides you with resources on grief support and settling affairs, sent to you via text and email.