REV. JULIAN F. WALTON

WALTON, REV. JULIAN F. - Age 72, of Sweetwater passed away Tuesday, September 16, 2014 at Sweetwater Hospital. He was a graduate of Hiwassee College and Tennessee Wesleyan, and obtained his Master's of Divinity at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. He served as an ordained minister in the Holston Conference of the First United Methodist Church for over fifty years including serving on the board of ordained ministers, lead several mission teams, served as campus minister, Director of the Wesley Foundation at Clinch Valley College in Wise, Virginia, and an adjunct professor of Philosophy at New River College in Dublin, Virginia. He has served as a trustee at Hiwassee College for over eight years and was a co-founder of the Sweetwater Area Ministries in Sweetwater. He was also a member of several civic organizations. He proudly served as an elected commissioner for the city of Sweetwater since 2009 serving as Parks and Recreation Director. Preceded in death by his mother Jewell Early Walton, brother: Doyle Walton, Jr., son: Julian F. (Jay) Walton II, father and step-mother; Doyle G. and Pauline Walton. Survivors include his wife of 11 years Dolores Shope Walton, of Sweetwater, sons: Christopher and Vince Walton, children and spouse: Becky and Jason Upton, Robin and Rick Bowden, Brian and Beth Shope, brother and sister-in-law: Dennis and Yvonne Walton, all of Sweetwater, sisters and brother- in- law: Becky and David Autry, Knoxville, Rhonda and Benny Sims, Townsend, eight grandchildren, several nieces and nephews, special friends: Lamar and Judy Hughes. A celebration of life serve will be conducted on Sunday, September 21, 2014, at 4:00P.M. at the First United Methodist Church of Sweetwater with Rev. Mike Hubble, Rev. Charles Maynard, eulogy by Jim Stutts. Visitation will follow in the Family Life Center of the Church. In lieu of flowers memorial may be made to the First United Methodist Church of Sweetwater Building Fund. Kyker Funeral Homes, Sweetwater is in charge of all the arrangements. www.kykerfuneralhomes.com