Thomas Cartwright

Thomas Blount Cartwright, 84, preceded in death by father, Thomas Y. Cartwright and mother, Ruby Blount Cartwright Gupton. Survived by wife, Martha Kennedy Cartwright; daughter, Diane Cartwright Bauer; sons, Thomas Y. Cartwright, II of Brentwood, TN and Steven K. Cartwright of Florida and granddaughter, Fawn Bauer of Nashville, TN. Upon the death of his father in 1956, he was elected to succeed him as Sheriff of Davidson County, TN, where he served for two terms. At 30 years of age he was the youngest to be elected sheriff of Davidson County. He established the first School Mothers Patrol in the County School system. His grandfather, Thomas E. Cartwright was also Sheriff of Davidson County from 1902-06. He attended West End High School, where he played football and was Vice President of the Student Body in 1943. He served in the Army in World War II in Europe and the Philippines and was discharged a Sergeant First Class in 1946. He graduated from Peabody College at Nashville in 1950, where he was elected President of the Student Council, President of Phi Chi Alpha Fraternity and Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities. He was recalled to the Army during the Korean conflict in 1950. Mr. Cartwright was a former Assistant Director of Sales Tax Division for the State of TN; partner, with his father, of Tom Cartwright and Son, a Farm Machinery Dealership, Business Manager of Mid-State Baptist Hospital and Administrator of Nashville General Hospital from 1961-67. He resigned to accept the position of Chief Executive Officer of Johnston Memorial Hospital in Abington, VA. He held that position for nineteen years until he resigned in 1986, following quadruple bypass surgery. He served on the Board of Directors for the Virginia Hospital Association, Blue Cross of Southwest Virginia and the Southwest Virginia Hospital Council. He was a 32nd Degree Mason. For over fifty years he was a member of Corinthian Mason Lodge #414, the Scottish Rite, and Al Menah Shrine Temple. He had been a member of the Royal Order of Jesters. He had served on the Boards of Director of the Tennessee Law Enforcement Association, The Downtown Sertoma Club, Seminole Florida Shrine Club, and was Foreman of a Washington County, Virginia Grand Jury. He was a member of the Sinking Spring Presbyterian Church in Abingdon, Virginia. Honorary pallbearers are members of the West End High School Lunch Bunch, Thomas Ashcraft of Clearwater, FL, E.L. Carrier of Abingdon, VA, William Van Name of Roanoke, VA, former employees of the old Nashville General Hospital, Everett Gourley of Charlotte, NC, Garrett Alvis of Boise, ID, Walter Ratterman of Nashville, TN and former employees of Johnston Memorial Hospital of Abingdon, VA. Active Pallbearers will be William Regen, George Currey, George Kelly, Dick Regen, John Lovelace and Chuck, Isaacs. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Shriners Children’s Hospital, c/o Al Menah Temple, 1354 Brick Church Pike, Nashville, TN 37207 or a charity of your choice. Funeral services will be at 11 o’clock the morning of Monday, April 26, 2010 in the chapel of Brentwood Roesch-Patton Funeral Home with Rev. Perry Muse officiating. Family and friends will gather to remember Mr. Cartwright from 2 o’clock until 6 o’clock the evening of Sunday, April 25, 2010 and one hour prior to the service at Brentwood Roesch-Patton Funeral Home, 9010 Church Street East, Brentwood, TN 37027, 615-373-3040.