Bobby Ramsey

Bobby spent his childhood as a farm boy in the Ottway community and later attended Greeneville High School. He enlisted in the US Air Force in 1954, becoming an aircraft warning and control operator on the Distant Early Warning (DEW) line of radar installations from California to the Yukon during the Cold War. He left the Air Force in 1958, achieving the rank of senior airman and earning the National Defense and Good Conduct Medals.

Bobby met the love of his life, Arlene, at the Central Drugstore in Greeneville. They were married in 1959. Bobby used his GI bill benefits to attend electricians school in Johnson City, then worked for a variety of electrical firms before landing a job at Magnavox as a maintenance electrician, where he worked for 33 years with perfect attendance for 27 years.

Bobby and Arlene enjoyed camping, visiting family, attending church activities, and traveling the southeast on vacation. Bobby served many years in the local Civil Air Patrol, completing solo flight training and achieving 2nd Lieutenant rank, and participating in several search and rescue missions over the mountains. He spent many hours at the Greeneville airport in its early days and made fast friends with local corporate and private pilots and mechanics. Bobby also enjoyed bird hunting and fixing things.

The Ramsey home was on Hogan Avenue, where they welcomed son Bryan. Tragically, Arlene passed away in 1980.

In his later years, Bobby was a fixture at church, rarely missing a service, participating in the choir, and thoroughly enjoying his Sunday school New Foundations class. He went on mission trips to Alaska, Guatemala and Haiti. Lifelong friends included Alan Broyles and Winfred Solomon, both of whom passed away within days of Bobby.

That he was meticulous, is an understatement shown in the details on the many models he made of homes, the airport, and airplanes. He was thrifty, never wasted a thing, and prided himself in keeping his home in top condition. Happy times included meals at the Bean Barn with his buddies, all of whom later migrated to Miss Belt’s Café for breakfast and worldly debate. Close friends describe Bobby as quiet and reserved, polite, sometimes rather funny, and easy to be around if you didn’t want to talk a lot.

Bobby is predeceased by his wife Ozell Arlene Ramsey (Couch), parents Perley and Beatrice Ramsey, his sister Betty June Ramsey, and brother-in-law Ronald Jennings.

Bobby’s living family include: his son Bryan Robert Ramsey and wife Rachel, of Greystone, grandchildren Madison Arlene Ramsey and Mason Lee Ramsey, and Lauren Jeffers; his sister Shirley Jennings of Greystone; nephew Tim Jennings and wife Becky of Enfield, New Hampshire and their children Brady and Bea; siblings-in-law Jeanie and Gene Kroeger of Cary, NC, and Peggy and Ben Wright of Mason City, IA; and special friend Ima Jean Crawford of Kingsport.

A graveside service will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, February 14 at GreeneLawn Memory Gardens. Pastor Ralph Shipley will deliver the service. Greene County Honor Guard and a US Air Force Honors Team will conduct a military graveside service.

Family and friends are asked to meet at 10:45 am Saturday at the cemetery for the graveside service.

Kiser-Rose Hill Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.kiserrosehillfuneralhome.com