Tommye Thompson Price, who attended Russellville High School in the mid-50s has died. Her dad, the late Beasley Thompson, was editor of the News-Democrat before Al Smith. The LoJo was made aware of her death by RHS classmates Andy Mac Rector and Keith Carver. Her obituary follows:
Tommye Price, 75, of Winchester, Tenn. passed away Wednesday, June 10, 2015. Tommye was born in Dayton, Tenn. home to the infamous Scopes Monkey Trial. She was the second of three sisters and attended 9 schools in three states before graduating from Athens High School in 1958. Tommye attended Athens College and Tennessee Technological University before graduating from the Norfolk College of William and Mary with a Bachelor’s Degree in English. She later completed graduate work in secondary education at Middle Tennessee State University.
Tommye taught school for 20 years, 19 of those as an English and journalism teacher at Tullahoma High School. For 11 years, from 1982-1993, Tommye was the faculty advisor for Echo, the THS student newspaper. During those years, the publication was rated by the Tennessee Department of Education as Superior twice, Excellent five times, and All Tennessee (highest rating) for her last four years. Tommye’s students remember her as an encouraging mentor, not only in their writing, but in their character development as well.
In addition to teaching, Tommye was a Sunday School teacher and Women’s Bible Study leader for many years at the Highland Hills Church of Christ. She was active in Right to Life rallies and Pro-Life legislation, and volunteered with Shepherd’s House for the homeless, Habitat for Humanity, Hurricane Katrina missions, and the Cub Scouts. In her later years, one of her greatest pleasures was the opportunity to assist in the homeschooling of her granddaughter. In recent years, she enjoyed reading short stories and poetry to residents at Morning Pointe Assisted Living.
Tommye was preceded in death by her parents, Morgan Beasley Thompson and Francis Reba Kathryn Gentry Thompson, and her sister Mary Jo Thompson Cribbs. She is survived by her loving husband of 54 years, Earl Anderson Price Jr., and their children, Kathryn Price (Scott) Holder of Winchester, Judith Price (David) Ruch of Columbia, S.C., and Bryan (Kim) Price of Huntsville, Ala., seven grandchildren, Lt. Andrew (Cassie) Holder, Emily Holder, Olivia Ruch, Will Holder, Anna Marie Ruch, Leah Price and Michael Price, as well as her sister, Betsy Thompson Webber of Fort Myers, Fla.. She was the beloved aunt to numerous nieces and nephews.
At Kilgore Funeral Home in Tullahoma, a celebration of Tommye’s life will be held on Saturday, June 13 at 11 a.m. at Highland Hills Church of Christ in Tullahoma. For those who cannot attend the Friday visitation, there will be one hour of visitation beginning at 10 a.m. at Highland Hills Church of Christ prior to the service. Burial will follow at the Bryan family cemetery in Wilson County. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the American Cancer Society or the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.