Troy L. Kilday Obituary (2007)

Troy L. Kilday died Thursday evening at Laughlin Hospital. He was 88. He was a member of the Ottway High School class of 1938 where he received local acclaim as center on the varsity basketball team. After high school he followed the path of many Appalachians of the time and journeyed northward by train to find work, settling in to toil in the cornfields of Illinois. Upon returning to Greene County he joined the Tennessee National Guard in 1940 and was mobilized as the clouds of World War began to gather upon the United States. He served in Europe and was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart for service during the Battle of the Bulge while being commissioned as 1st Lieutenant. Upon settling into civilian life he was mobilized again at the outbreak of the Korean War and served in the Army during that conflict. Troy was a longtime member and officer of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion and a charter member of the Greeneville Kiwanis Club as well as a longtime faithful member of the Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church. He was widely known for his many years as an insurance agent from which he established lifelong friendships in every community of the county. His bent toward public service was revived in 1981 when he was appointed by the County Commission as the Greene County Veterans Service Officer where he served for twelve years, giving aid and service to Greene County=s military veterans and their families who served from World War I to the Gulf War. He had a longtime interest in gospel music and sang with area quartets for many years beginning with his return from Europe following the War. He is representative of the vanishing AGreatest [email protected] who survived the Great Depression, then beat back the Axis powers at a time when world freedom hung in the balance. He is survived by a daughter and four sons and their spouses: Carolyn and Lowell Christian of Jonesborough, Jerry Max and Donna Kilday of Unicoi, Tom and Chris Kilday of Greeneville, Joe and Barbie Kilday of Greeneville and Wayne and Felecia Kilday of Spring Hill, in addition to twelve grandchildren, thirteen great-grandchildren, a brother, Bill Kilday of Greeneville and a sister, Edith Kilday Burnett of Morristown. He was preceded in death by his wife of 61 years, Henrietta Bible Kilday, a son, Richard Kilday, his parents, B. Oscar and Blanche Morrison Kilday, two brothers, Harry and Delmar Kilday and an infant sister, Dorothy Kilday. The family will receive friends from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday at Jeffers Mortuary Funeral Home in Greeneville. The funeral service will be on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. at Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church with interment to follow in the church cemetery. Reverend Don Alexander and Reverend Roger Crim will preside. Active pallbearers will be Bryan Kilday, Tyler Kilday, Keith Barnette, Todd Lewis, Drew Thomas and Tim Dunham. Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Joe Austin, Dr. Walter [email protected] Mason, Steve Alexander, Howard Whaley, Joe Harmon and members of the Wesley Bible Class of the Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church. To send a flower arrangement or to plant trees in memory of Troy L. Kilday, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store. print Print Obituary