J. Lewis Kinnard

J. Lewis Kinnard, of Knoxville, Tennessee passed away peacefully on March 17, 2025. He was born and raised on a small farm near Spring Hill, Tennessee, and he was the first of three sons of Marvin and Ruth Kinnard. He graduated from Spring Hill High School, where he played football and basketball, and also earned an FFA State Farmer award. He worked his way through the University of Tennessee – Knoxville, earning a degree in agriculture. While there, Lewis was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U. S. Army, Chemical Corps.

At UT, Lewis was a member of Omicron Delta Kappa and noble ruler of Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity. There he met and married Patricia Armstrong of Sweetwater and returned to UT College of Law after two years of active duty at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he finished his tour as Commanding Officer of the 84th Chemical Company. Upon graduation, he moved to Sweetwater, where he practiced law and served as a Monroe County Judge and an attorney for the City of Sweetwater. He also served for ten years both as Chairman of the Board at Wood Home in Sweetwater and as board member of the Tellico Reservoir Development Agency, as well as the President of both Sweetwater and Madisonville Kiwanis Clubs. He practiced law briefly in Sweetwater, then moved his practice to Madisonville for the remainder of his career of 62 years.

Lewis also served many years as a deacon and elder in three PCA Presbyterian churches and made three mission trips to Cuba between 2005 – 2006. He served 30 years as a Scoutmaster of Troop 98 in Sweetwater and took a crew to Philmont Scout Ranch. In his spare time, he hunted wild boar, bear, deer, waterfowl, and wild turkey, and fished for trout. He also spent many years gleaning knowledge of Monroe County Native American history and was an avid collector of their artifacts.

He is survived by a great family, consisting of daughter Lisa Morris and husband Mark, their children and families, which includes son Lieutenant Colonel Rob Morris, and wife, Lieutenant Colonel Jamie Morris, and their daughters Vivian and Mae; and son Jay Morris and wife Layne, and their sons, Oliver and Matthew; daughter, Marlin Seymour and husband Brent, their children and families, which includes daughter Drew Adkins and husband Gary, and their daughters Macie, Emery, and Nora; and son Will and wife Emma; and daughter Adrianne Carroll and husband Brad, and their son Carson. He is also survived by his brother James and wife Janet, and his middle brother Carl’s wife Katie; as well as his last love, Deborah, of the past 26 years.

He died at the age of 92, thanking the Lord for such a fantastic life.

Arrangements are as follows: Sunday, April 6 at Resurrection Presbyterian Church, 6900 Nubbin Ridge Drive, Knoxville, 37919. Receiving Friends will be held from 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm with a 4:30 pm service. On Monday, April 7, friends will be received at the Madisonville Courthouse from 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm. Friends and family are welcome to attend either one or both services.

A Private family Military Honors Burial will be held at the East Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, consider a gift to the Sweetwater Boy Scout Troop 98 at P.O. Box 450, Sweetwater, TN 37384; the Madisonville Courthouse at 105 College Street S, Madisonville, TN 37354; or Resurrection Presbyterian Church at the above address.

Family and friends may share condolences online at www.berryhighlandmemorial.com