Sam Henry Blevens

BLEVENS, Sam Henry, age 91 of Maryville, passed away Sunday, November 20, 2005, at his home. Mr. Blevens has been a member of Fairview Methodist Church for sixty-three years. In his sixty-three years of membership, he taught the men’s Sunday School class for thirty years, served on many committees, was the church school superintendent, was chairman of the official board of Fairview United Methodist Church, served as leader of the Boy Scout troop, and was chairman of the church’s educational committee. He enjoyed his affiliation with the church and was always willing to give of his resources and time to help the church. Mr. Blevens served his country in the U. S. Army, enlisting in 1943. After basic training, he became a cryptographer with the Signal Corps, 563rd. He served in Germany with the 63rd Division of the Army. He was honorably discharged in 1946. He returned home and began his career with Blount County Schools. Mr. Blevens was a long-time teacher in Blount County beginning his career at Miser Station in the early 1940's. He accepted principalship of Eagleton Elementary School in 1947. He remained at Eagleton for twenty-nine years. He served as a teaching principal for three years then was supervising principal with out teaching duties. He enjoyed coaching both boy’s and girl’s basketball teams at Chilhowee View and Eagleton. He coached for over twenty-five years and always felt great pride in the honors achieved by his teams. Mr. Blevens retired from Eagleton in 1976 but continued to serve Blount County when he was appointed to fill a vacancy on the Blount County Board of Education. He continued to serve on the Board until his health required him to resign. He served as chairman of the board for the last two years of his term. During his tenure with Blount County Schools, Mr. Blevens also served as chairman of the Elementary School Principal’s Association and chairman of Blount County Teacher’s Association. In addition to his dedication to his family, his church and the school community, Mr. Blevens was an avid farmer in the Fairview and Oakview Communities. He was preceded in death by his parents, Samuel Jackson Blevens and Clara Elizabeth Gardner Blevens; brother, Glenn Blevens; sisters, Beulah Blevens Workman, Ova Blevens Fishburn, Bess Blevens Dunlap, Ruth Blevens Carpenter, and Juanita Blevens Roark. He is survived by his wife of sixty three years, Maxie Everett Blevens; sons, Michael Anthony Blevens of Maryville and Daniel Franklin (wife Anne) Blevens of Walland; grandchildren, Kimberly Ann Eriksson and husband Ross of Birmingham, AL, Dr. Kara Lynn Blevens of Charleston, SC, Katherine Elizabeth Belcher and husband Shane of Johnson City, TN and Sarah Anne Minton and husband Thomas of Honolulu, HI. Mr. Blevens is also survived by sisters-in-law, Myrtle Best Everett, Helen Edmondson Everett and several nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday in McCammon-Ammons-Click Funeral Home Chapel with Dr. Jerry Russell and Rev. R. M. Everett officiating. The interment will follow in Grandview Cemetery. Friends may call at their convenience at McCammon-Ammons-Click Funeral Home, Maryville. Memorials may be made to Fairview United Methodist Church, Building Fund, 2508 Old Niles Ferry Road, Maryville, TN 37803 or to Blount County Library, 508 N. Cusick Street, Maryville, TN 37804. McCammon-Ammons-Click Funeral Home, Maryville 982-6812 www.mccammonammonsclick.com