Kenneth Wayne Graybeal, 102, of Roan Mountain, passed away on Saturday, December 10, 2011, at Hermitage Health Center following an extended illness.
He was the son of the late C.R. and Florence Victoria Calhoun Graybeal and was born in Roan Mountain. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Jonnie M. Graybeal; two sisters, Alice Graybeal Simerly and Margaret Graybeal Propst; and a brother, Byron F. Graybeal.
Mr. Graybeal was a graduate of Science Hill High School and attended both Milligan College and East Tennessee Normal School. He was the former owner/operator of C.R. Graybeal and Sons, which at one time was the largest buyer of crude botanical drugs in the United States.
He served on the Board of Directors for Carter County Bank, Cumberland County Bank and Thurston Motor Lines of Charlotte, N.C. In addition to those accomplishments, he was the owner/operator of Dealer’s Supply Co., Graybeal Glass Co., the Past President Oak Ridge Atom Industries, American Nuclear Corporation and American Vermiculite Corporation.
Mr. Graybeal was a Tennessee Colonel during the administration of Gov. Frank Clement. He was also very active in the Roan Mountain Citizens Club and was instrumental in arranging the visit of Vice-President Richard Nixon to the Rhododendron Festival. He attended the Roan Mountain Holiness Church and the Telford First United Methodist Church.
Survivors include two sons, C.R. Graybeal II of Johnson City, and Kenneth W. Graybeal and his wife, Mary, Atlanta, Ga.; a daughter, Vickie Cole and her husband, Dr. Douglas Cole, Elizabethton; six grandchildren, Melissa Graybeal, Daphne Seybert and Lindsey Graybeal, all of Atlanta, Ga., Sydney Graybeal, Chicago, Ill., Kelly Cole Walters and Emily Cole Morganstern, both of Johnson City; seven great-grandchildren; and a special friend, Margaret Humphries, Johnson City. Several nieces and nephews also survive.
The funeral service for Mr. Graybeal will be conducted at 2 p.m. Wednesday, December 14, in the Chapel of Peace of Tetrick Funeral Home, Elizabethton, with Rev. Gene Honeycutt officiating. Music will be under the direction of Mary Lou O’Quinn, pianist. The family will receive friends in the funeral home chapel from 1 until 2 p.m. Wednesday, prior to the service. Interment will follow the funeral service at Happy Valley Memorial Park. Active pallbearers will be John Graybeal, Dustin Walters, Eric Morganstern, Bob Shelton and Dr. John Crockett. Honorary pallbearers will be Harley Richardson and Bill Campbell. Those who prefer memorials in lieu of flowers may make donations to the Telford United Methodist Church, 1775 Old State Route 34, Telford, TN 37690. Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.tetrickfuneralhome.com and signing the guestbook or by fax to (423) 542-9499.
Tetrick Funeral Home, Elizabethton, is serving the Graybeal family. Office: (423) 542-2232. Obituary Line: (423) 543-4917.
