John Martin Givens Jr., 73, of Russellville, passed away Thursday, Dec. 28, 2017 at St. Thomas Hospital in Nashville. He was born in Springfield, Tenn. on April 16, 1944 to the late John Martin Given Sr. and Mary Dawson Kemp. He was retired from banking and was self-employed with Givens College Books. He was a member and elder at the Russellville Christian Church and was active in the Boy Scouts in the 70’s and 80’s.
He was a husband, father and grandfather and loved his family and friends. He also enjoyed car restoration, traveling, gardening, cooking and working at Camp Crossing in Pawnee, Okla. as a volunteer.
He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Judy Givens; his sons, Shane Givens and wife Andrea and Jason Givens and wife Christy, all of Bowling Green; his daughter, Amy Simmons and husband Tom of Portland; his brothers, Mike Kemp and wife Vicki of Russellville and Tommy Kemp and wife Becky of Elizabethtown; his sister, Becky Everist and husband Jerry of Buda, Texas; and five grandchildren, Dawson, Connor, Drew, Anderson and Caroline.
Funeral services for John Martin Givens Jr. will be conducted at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 30, at Summers, Kirby and Sanders Funeral Home with Bro. Dana Reed officiating with burial to follow in Berea Cemetery. Visitation at the funeral home will be held Saturday from 11 a.m. until the service hour.
Expressions of sympathy may be made in the form of donations to Camp Crossway or Russellville Christian Church. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home.
Pallbearers: Pat Suiter, Russ Willis, Billy Currence, John Jeeter, Ron Dotson, Dudley Bouldin, Obie Vancleave and Billy Goley
Honorary Pallbearers: Jon Paul Stuart, Chris Goley, Johnnie Mantlo and Mike Brock