Lt. Col. John Newman Badgett, Jr. Usaf (Ret.)

Lt. Col. John Newman (O’Pa) Badgett, Jr. USAF (ret.) passed away May 31, 2009 at the UT Hospital in Knoxville. He was born June 10, 1918 in his Maryville, TN to J.N. and Hazel Blankenship Badgett. He is survived by his beloved wife and high school sweetheart, Mary Blanche Clark Badgett. They were married July 3, 1941 at New Providence Church in Maryville. Together they traveled the globe, lived many places and had many adventures. Their three children are Susan Rebecca Metzler and husband William of Grove City, OH; John N. Badgett, III and wife Rebecca of Memphis, TN and Timothy Clark Badgett and wife Patricia of Maryville, TN. Grandchildren include Linda B. Sipes of Sheboygan, WI; Dietke B. Stogner (Joey) of Surfside Beach, SC; John Charles Metzler (Sarah) of Lewis Center, OH; Benjamin Clark Metzler of Columbus, OH; John Clark Badgett of Maryville, TN and James Thomas Badgett of Sweetwater, TN. Great-grandchildren are Kaylee L. Hess, Andrew C. Hess and Alexis J. Stogner of Surfside Beach, SC and David W. Metzler and Lauren E. Metzler of Lewis Center, OH. He also leaves two sisters, Elizabeth B. Cox of Spokane, WA and Lillian B. Hatfield of Sanford, NC and sister-in-law, Betty T. Badgett of Maryville, TN. Besides his parents, preceding him in death are his two brothers, Guy Badgett and James P. Badgett and one sister, Alice B. Crow. J.N. graduated from Maryville High School in 1936 and majored in political science at Maryville College, receiving his degree in 1940. He earned his LL.B. (Legum Baccalaureus) degree from the University of Tennessee in 1942. He joined the Army as an aviation cadet in September of 1942 received his silver Air Force pilot wings and commission of second lieutenant on June 30, 1943. J.N. served as Maryville City Recorder from November of 1945 until September of 1947. He loved to tell of how small Maryville was then and how everyone knew everyone else. After this he opened his own law firm and was named “Young Man of the Year” by the Maryville-Alcoa Jaycee’s in January of 1950. In 1951 Captain Badgett was recalled to active duty and sent to Japan with the 314th troop carrier group. He remained on active duty until he retired in August of 1970 as a lieutenant colonel. He is quoted as saying his greatest adventure while in the armed forces was as a major while stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. He was forced to eject at 1,500 feet from a powerless airplane. Neither he nor the other crewman was injured, but the T33 crashed and burned. As a Division One General Sessions Court Judge from 1971 to 1981, he was president of the Tennessee General Sessions Judge’s Conference in 1974. Among his other offices was his appointment to the Maryville Housing Authority in 1982, Maryville-Alcoa Jaycees Board of Directors; chairman consultant for the local Selective Service Board and the Blount County Revenue Commission, chairman of the County Education Committee; President and charter member of the Maryville Rotary Club where he did not miss a meeting for over 38 years. He was a member of the American Legion Post 13, and the Chamber of Commerce. Judge Badgett retired in December of 1989 after service as chairman and board member of First Federal Savings and Loan. For 35 years Judge Badgett was a Magnolia Cemetery Trustee and Secretary. His faithful service assured accurate interment/monument records and the oversight of grounds maintenance. Judge Badgett was a life long active member of First United Methodist Church of Maryville. O’pa loved his family, his Lord and his Country and always served each faithfully. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather as well as the “Go to Guy” when anything was needed doing by family, church or community. He will be missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him. The family will receive friends from 6-8:00 p.m. Tuesday at First United Methodist Church of Maryville. Funeral services will be at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday at First United Methodist Church of Maryville with Pastors Brenda and Larry Carroll and Tom Badgett officiating. The interment will follow in Magnolia Cemetery. The family request memorials be given to the Alzheimer’s Association, Eastern TN Chapter, 2270 Sutherland Avenue, Suite H 102, Knoxville, TN 37919; Maryville Rotary Club, P. O. Box 4726, Maryville, TN 37802; First United Methodist Church of Maryville Kitchen Fund, 804 Montvale Station Road, Maryville, TN 37803. McCammon-Ammons-Click Funeral Home in charge 982-6812 www.mccammonammonsclick.com