RAYMOND RUDOLPH GADDIS

GADDIS, RAYMOND RUDOLPH - age 83, passed away Wednesday, September 4, 2013 at Shannondale Nursing Home. He was born in Sullivan, Illinois and relocated to Tennessee in 1960 and resided in Lenoir City, Powell and Sevierville. Raymond graduated high school in Harrisburg, Illinois and then attended Paducah Jr. College, The University of Illinois and The University of Tennessee. He was employed by Union Carbide of Paducah, Kentucky. He designed instrumentation used by NASA in the Apollo program while working at X-10 Oak Ridge National Laboratory. While serving at the University of Tennessee he was awarded the Chancellor's Citation for Service to the University. Raymond retired from the University of Tennessee Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering Department where he was instrumental in bringing the first digital computer to the University. Raymond was a founding member of the Southern Appalachian Railroad Museum, and Board Member of the Little River Railroad Museum. Preceded in death by his parents, Ollie Gaddis and Utha Bishop Gaddis; wife, Verna Keelin Gaddis and sister Donna Sauer. He is survived by his daughter, Vicki Wampler and husband Riley; sons, John Gaddis and wife Jeanne and Thomas Gaddis and wife Cheri; sister Ramona Camp and husband OB Camp; nieces and nephews. Raymond had five grand-children, Tammie Wampler, Sheri Carr and husband Mark, Riley David Wampler Jr. and wife Christy, Kevin Gaddis and wife Allison and Ryan Gaddis and wife Stephanie. Raymond was also a proud great-grand father to ten great-grandchildren: Ashton Barbour, Rileigh Barbour, Michael Wampler, Lindsay Wampler, Samuel Carr, Anna Carr, Daniel Carr, Mia Gaddis, Liam Gaddis, and Luke Gaddis. A graveside service will be held at Greenwood Cemetery on Saturday, September 7th at 10:00 am with the Rev. Mark Carr officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association at: 211 Center Park Drive, Ste. 3010, Knoxville, Tennessee 37922 or the Little River Railroad Museum: Hwy 31, 7747 East Lamar Alexander Pkwy, P.O. Box 211, Townsend, Tennessee 37882. Gentry Griffey Funeral Chapel is honored to serve the Gaddis family and invites you to view and sign the guestbook at www.gentrygriffey.com.