Arling C. Rhea, 93, died Friday at Johnson City Medical Center of pneumonia. Born just months before the Wall Street crash of 1929, he grew up through the Great Depression in Sullivan County, and throughout his life enjoyed telling colorful stories of his Tom Sawyer-like childhood living along the South Fork of the Holston River.
He joined the U.S. Army upon reaching adulthood and was stationed at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas during the immediate post-World War II years. After his military service he resided for a while in Baltimore and Detroit, where he worked in the automotive industry before returning to Sullivan County, residing first in Blountville, and then in Kingsport for the remainder of his life.
He worked at then - Tennessee Eastman Co. in Kingsport, retiring in 1986 after 31 years of service. He had a special knack for repair work, and could “fix” just about anything he tried. For more than 60 years he was a member of Colonial Heights Baptist Church, and Holston Lodge #559 Free and Accepted Masons in Blountville.
He was the son of the late Ivan Roosevelt Ray Sr. and Dollis Sykes of Blountville; and also was preceded in death by his wife, Beulah Rhea; two sisters, Kathleen Light of Kettering, Ohio and Velma Frazier of Walterboro, South Carolina; and five brothers, Ivan Rhea Jr. of Kingsport, Carl Ray of Kingsport, Elmer Rhea of Kingsport, Howard Rhea of Blountville, and Ernest Rhea of Blountville.
He is survived by a daughter, Angela Rhea of Kingsport; and three sons, John T. Rhea of Bristol, Barry Rhea of Kingsport, and David Rhea of Washington, DC; a sister, Wilma Thomas of Pittsburgh, Penn.; and numerous in-laws, nieces and nephews.
East Lawn Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. The family will receive friends from 12-2 p.m. Wednesday at East Lawn, funeral service at 2 p.m. officiated by Dr. Greg Burton, followed by a committal service at East Lawn Memorial Park. Due to family members who are at high risk, the family requests that anyone with symptoms of respiratory illness please avoid the service.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations instead be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.
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