Mr. Ben H. Seymour

Ben Hardin Seymour, 87, of Chattanooga, passed away Sunday, April 18, 2010.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Swisher Seymour; parents Fred and Martha Seymour and brothers Tom and David Seymour.

Ben was a native of Sweetwater, TN and was a graduate of The University of Chattanooga with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Known throughout Chattanooga as “The Cannon Man,” Ben made miniature civil war cannons and gave them out in the community. He was an avid gardner, loved UTK football, and loved to golf for most of his life. He was a Manager at Wheland Foundry for 47 years, and after his retirement, he volunteered at Calvin A. Donalson Elementary School and at TVA’s Racoon Mountain. Ben was a Navy veteran and served in World War II in the Sea of Japan. Ben spent almost the last 13 years at Summit View Retirement Community, where he loved to help others and to lead the music on Wednesday nights. He had been a member of White Oak Baptist Church for 56 years and the Paul McMillan Sunday School class.

Survivors include his son, Frank (Kelli) Seymour and daughter Vickie Justus of Chattanooga; stepchildren Christine (Lawrence) Overbay of Knoxville and Curtis (Joyce) Whorley of Cleveland, TN; sister Agnes Packett of Sweetwater, TN; grandchildren Chad Seymour, Mary (Fancy) Justus, Ben Justus, Larry, Theresa, Joanie, and Matt Overbay and Kurt and Keith Whorley; great-grandchildren Caleb, Chance and Cherokee Justus and Brandon and Brandi Overbay, nephews, nieces and cousins and long-time friend Tommie Mansfield.

The family will receive friends from 2:00-4:00 P.M. and 6:00-9:00 P.M. Tuesday at Chattanooga Funeral Home, North Chapel on Highway 153.

Funeral services will be held at White Oak Baptist Church, 310 Memorial Drive in Red Bank at 1:00 P.M. Wednesday, with Dr. Tony Wilson officiating. Interment will follow at Chattanooga Memorial Park.

Memorial contributions may be made to White Oak Baptist Church, 310 Memorial Drive, Chattanooga, TN.

The family would like to thank everyone at Summit View, as well as the ER and MICU staffs at Erlanger Hospital for taking care of “Papaw Ben.”

Please share your thoughts and memories at www.mem.com

Arrangements are made by Chattanooga Funeral Home Crematory and Florist, 5401 Hwy 153, Hixson, TN 37343.