Billy G. Blazer

1938 - 2025

Billy G. Blazer

Born: September 1, 1938 | Died: September 24, 2025

Billy G. Blazer passed away suddenly on Wednesday at Holston Valley Community Hospital with his wife by his side.

He was born September 1, 1938, the only to the late Ogle Blazer and Cora Elizabeth Smelcer Blazer, on the family farm in the St. James Community. Billy was raised with the help of grandparents, Ernest and Orpha Smelcer.

He graduated from St. James High School and joined St. James Lutheran Church.

After graduation and working in his teen age years, he was drafted in the United States Army and served fourteen months in Germany. He was discharged and called back into active duty for another year. Once he was discharged, he went to work in the FBI Justice Department in Washington DC for a few years. He returned to his homeland in Greene County and lived in the Mosheim community.

On January 14, 1969, he went to work at American Enka at Lowland, TN, which later became BASF. He retired from the Industrial Engineering Department.

Billy was a faithful attendee of Brown Springs Baptist Church for more than 50 years.

He was a quite humble man who loved his family, loved working on the farm, mowing yards on his property, helping the less fortunate with financial needs and sharing stories about his teenage years.

He was preceded in death by his father: Ogle Blazer; mother and stepfather: Cora Elizabeth Smelcer Blazer and D.P. Bradford; aunts: Louise Brown Armitage and Ruth Rader; cousin: David Rader; father-in-law and mother-in-law: Charlie and Lena Pearl Tunnell; brothers-in-law: Claude and Lula Tunnell, Doyle Ketron Tunnell, and Lorne H. Tunnell; niece: Desiree Michan Malone; great-nephew: Jonathan Laughters; and his former pastor of 37 years, Rev. Richard Long.

Survivors include his wife of 53 years: Glenda Tunnell Blazer; special great-niece: Candice Ashley Rhea; special great-nephews: Elijah Shane Malone and Micah Seth Malone; special great-great-niece: Kairi Malone; special nieces: Lori and Rick Fannon, Terry Earley and Jon Tweed; special nephews: Doyle and Jennifer Tunnell, Steven and Heather Tunnell; sister-in-law: Betty Lamb Tunnell; great-niece: Casey and Rustin Jones; great-nephews: Matthew Westmorland, Tanner Early, Tyler Early, Thomas Tunnell, Trey Tunnell, and Grant Tunnell; great-great-nephew and niece: Lincolyn and Eva Belle Jones.

The family will receive friends at Doughty-Stevens Funeral Home from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Sunday, September 28th.

Graveside services will be 3 p.m. Sunday at Brown Springs Baptist Church Cemetery. The Rev. Dalton Lamb will officiate.

Pallbearers will be Shane Malone, Seth Malone, Rick Fannon, Jon Tweed, Matthew Westmorland, Tanner Early, Tyler Early, and Steven Tunnell.