Eugene M. Pike Jr.

Eugene M. Pike Jr. spent his entire life connected to the funeral home industry and, at 87 years old, had no plans to retire. The President of Chattanooga Funeral Home had arguably been in the funeral home business longer than anyone in the area, having just celebrated 67 years with Chattanooga Funeral Home in June of 2025. Mr. Pike went to be with Jesus in his sleep at his residence on Monday morning, December 1, 2025.

While growing up in LaFayette, Georgia, Gene and his brother Bill would wake early to deliver papers for the Chattanooga Times before returning home for breakfast and heading to school. Mr. Pike often said, "I’ve never been afraid of hard work.” His father, Eugene M. Pike Sr., was a funeral director at the Wallis Funeral Home in LaFayette and Ringgold.

Gene, as he preferred to be known, spent a lot of time with his dad, constantly asking questions and even answering the phone at the funeral home. When Gene was 12, the funeral home needed someone to drive a family car, and Gene, without seeking permission, got behind the wheel. He recalled his father scolding him, “Son, you shouldn’t be doing that; that’s too dangerous.” Mr. Pike often joked that his dad probably knew he wouldn’t pay any attention to the admonition—and he didn’t.

The LaFayette High School graduate hung around Jack Algood, who taught him to drive a 1946 straight-shift pickup truck. As a teenager, he knew he was going to follow in his father’s footsteps. Mr. Pike graduated from the John A. Gupton Mortuary School in Nashville in 1959 and had served as Chairman of the Board since November 12, 1979.

Mr. Pike met his wife, Gail Pedigo, in 1957 while making an ambulance run to the Hutcheson Medical Center in Fort Oglethorpe. Gail was working as an X-ray technician, and a fellow hospital employee, Pearline Wallace, urged Gail to go on a date with Gene. Gail agreed, and before going to a movie at the Tivoli, the two went to a home to set up chairs for an upcoming funeral. Mrs. Pike remembers going to the Tivoli afterwards. Gene and Gail were married in 1958 in the pastor’s study of the First Baptist Church in LaFayette. Gail says, “God sent me the right person and gave us a wonderful Christian son, Stephen, who is following in his grandfather’s and dad’s footsteps.”

Alvin Wunderlich Sr., along with his two sons, Alvin Jr. and Walter, founded National Funeral Home in Memphis in 1931. They came to Chattanooga in 1933 and opened another National Funeral Home. Carroll Wells moved from Memphis to operate the Wunderlichs’ new Chattanooga business. The names were later changed to Memphis Funeral Home and Chattanooga Funeral Home to better identify with the respective cities.

In 1957, Gene Pike met Carroll Wells, President of National Funeral Home (now Chattanooga Funeral Home). Mr. Wells had been following the younger Pike in LaFayette and knew his potential. Mr. Wells told him, “Young man, someday I’m going to retire, and we’ll need somebody to work hard, maybe taking my place.” Mr. Pike was ready for the challenge and took the job. He became President of Chattanooga Funeral Home in 1977 when Mr. Wells retired.

Mr. Pike conducted funeral services for some of Chattanooga’s best-known citizens, including Mayors Rudy Olgiati, Robert Kirk Walker, Gene Roberts, and Pat Rose; Commissioner Col. H.P. Dunlap; Hamilton County Judge Chester Frost; Luther Masingill; J.B. Collins; Dr. Lee Roberson; Dr. J.R. Faulkner; and Leslie Jordan. He also remembers assisting with Elvis Presley’s funeral service at the Ellis Auditorium in Memphis in 1977.

Service Corporation International acquired Chattanooga Funeral Home in 1970. Under Mr. Pike’s leadership, Chattanooga Funeral Home grew to include four chapels, an expanded flower shop, a care center, and a crematory. They also operate Chattanooga Memorial Park and Hamilton Memorial Gardens Cemeteries, along with Advantage Funeral Home and Hamilton Funeral Home.

Mr. Pike was especially proud of the funeral home flower shop. He noted, “We not only provide funeral flowers, but our designers also can take care of any floral need, such as grand openings, hospitals, churches, or special arrangements for friends.” He had many opportunities with SCI, at one time overseeing 65 funeral homes in the Eastern United States. He found it very exciting to share his experiences with other funeral directors but turned down offers to move, saying Chattanooga was his home where he had thousands of lasting relationships.

As if arranging funerals wasn’t enough, Gene Pike joined the Chattanooga Civitan Club in 1965. In 1970, he organized the Claxton fruitcake drive, which each Christmas featured a kickoff with Miss Chattanooga and Miss Tennessee. Mr. Pike also served as President of the Club, noting that selling fruitcakes enabled the organization to serve the community in many ways. He served on the board and was a past chairman for the Walter Boehm Birth Defect Center and also served as a financial chairman for Contact Telephone Ministries. At the urging of his late friend, Jack Benson, Mr. Pike joined the Big Brothers Big Sisters board, which built a modern office building at Bailey Avenue and Willow Street. Mr. Pike noted there are now around 250 active Big Brothers and Big Sisters in Chattanooga.

Mr. Pike accepted Christ as his Savior and was baptized at the age of 12. He joined the First Baptist Church of LaFayette and later transferred his membership to Central Baptist Church at Woodmore. He was a member of Ridgedale Baptist Church, where he was the President of the Friendship Sunday School Class, the Outreach Director and served several years as a Deacon, Deacon Emeritus, and the Church Finance Chairman.

Mr. Pike and his family were very active in the Freedom Foundation Valley Forge Chattanooga Chapter. He said, “This organization is very much needed to preserve some of our country’s history.” He was also president of the Half Century Club of Chattanooga, joking, “All we do is eat at our annual picnic,” but he was proud the club provided six nursing scholarships a year at Erlanger Medical Center, a program helped by a generous gift from the family of the late Mayor E.R. Betterton.

Mr. Pike developed an interest in the piano when the youth department at his church needed someone to play. His mother found a teacher, and the youngster began taking lessons. Mr. Pike kept his music books, lessons, and notes, and enjoyed playing his piano “just for relaxation.” He was also known to play the organ, having bought an antique pump organ for $100 at a home in Red Bank over 50 years ago, which he still owned.

Thanks to his good friend, Bryant Cook, Mr. Pike was concentrating the rest of his life on veterans, noting, “where there is so much need.” He supported the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 203 and their many projects. Mr. Pike was proud to have helped bring the Vietnam Traveling Wall into Chattanooga several times, saying the wall helped bring closure to thousands of families whose soldiers were killed in Southeast Asia. Mr. Pike was honored to receive the Hometown Patriot Award for his decades of service to area veterans from the Chief John Ross Chapter, NSDAR. He was a Member of the Chattanooga Mountain City Club and the Chattanooga Golf and Country Club.

COVID-19 did slow him down and forced him to do a lot of work from home, but he was still on the job every day. One of Gene Pike’s mentors was Macon, Georgia, businessman Bill Snow, who operated Snow’s Laundry and had started a funeral home. Mr. Pike spent time with Mr. Snow in 1970 and was impressed by the philosophy, “Don’t ever get ahead of your customers.”

As to Mr. Pike’s plan to retire, in his words, “You’ll read of my retirement in the Chattanoogan.com obituaries.”

Mr. Pike was preceded in death by his parents, Eugene M. Pike Sr. and Bonnie Pike.

He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Patricia Gail Pike of Chattanooga; son, Stephen (Lea) Pike of Ooltewah; granddaughter, Mary (Keshun) Gentry of Ooltewah; great-grandchild, Kingston James Gentry; brother, Bill (Ellen) Pike of Huntsville, Alabama; nephew, Ernie (Linda) Brown of Chattanooga; and niece, Cindy (John) Cagle of Chattanooga.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Thursday, December 11th, at 11 AM at Ridgedale Baptist Church with Dr. Doug Plumlee and Dr. Bill Owens officiating. Ridgedale Minister of Music Michael Johnson and Father Mike Nolan will provide the music for the service.

The family will receive friends on Wednesday, December 10th, from 4 PM to 7 PM and on Thursday, December 11th, from 9 AM to 11 AM at Ridgedale Baptist Church. Entombment will be in Hamilton Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Hixson.

Active Pallbearers will be Mike Blevins, Tom Tallent, Darrin Wolfe, Robert Schrader, Dean Gentry, Brad Wilkey, Steven Chase Williams, Donnie Longley, Steve Burchard and Skylar Scoggins.

Honorary Pallbearers will be the Staff of Chattanooga Funeral Home East Chapel, North Chapel, Valley View Chapel, East Brainerd Chapel, Hamilton Memorial Gardens, Chattanooga Memorial Park, Chattanooga Care Center, Advantage Funeral Home, Hamilton Funeral Home, Ridgedale Baptist Church Friendship Sunday School Class, Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 203, John A Gupton Mortuary College Board, Staff and Alumni and members of the Chattanooga Downtown Civitan Club.

The family wishes to express their sincere gratitude to the LORD for giving Mr. Pike the opportunity to finish the race and help hurting families for 67 years at the funeral home, as well as to the entire staff at the funeral homes, cemeteries, florist, and care center who allowed him to be a part of their team.

Memorial contributions may be made to: Ridgedale Baptist Church, 1831 Hickory Valley Road, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37421 or Chattanooga Civitan Club, Gene Pike Spring Fling, P.O. Box 746, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37401,Chattanoogacivitanclub.org or John A Gupton College, Harris O. Yates Endowment Fund, 1616 Church Street, Nashville, Tennessee 37203 or to the Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter #203, P.O. Box 23405, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37422.

Arrangements are by the Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory and Florist, Valley View Chapel, 7414 Old Lee Highway, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37421. Please share your thoughts and memories at www.ChattanoogaValleyViewChapel.com.