Theodore D. Mackey

Theodore D. Mackey, 87, a lifelong resident of Bradley County, passed away, Tuesday, October 13, 2009 in a local hospital. He was a lifelong member of Charleston United Methodist Church and currently attended Bellfounte Baptist Church. His first occupation was a dairy farmer, later he retired after twenty-three years as a rural mail carrier and he also owned and operated buses for the Bradley County School System for 33 years. He served on the Bradley County Commission for sixteen years, was a director of Federal Land Bank of Athens and a charter member of the Charleston Ruritan Club. He was preceded in death by his parents, William Afton Mackey and Estelle M. Epperson Mackey; twin brother, Woodrow Mackey and brothers, Joseph Mackey and James W. Mackey, sisters, Barbara Johnson Whitfield and Christine Good. Survivors include his wife, Nell Cannon Mackey of Cleveland; daughter, Connie Mackey Marks and husband, John of Bel Air, MD; grandchildren: Christopher Mackey Kelly and wife, Kathryn of Demorest, GA and Maegan Marks and Amy Marks both of Bel Air, MD; great grandchildren; Collin Mackey Kelly and Claire Kelly of Demorest, GA. Funeral services will be conducted at 3:00 p.m. Friday, October 16, 2009 in the chapel of Fike Funeral Home with the Reverend Lake Walker officiating. Interment will follow in Fort Hill Cemetery with Chris Kelly, Kevin Good, Eric Good, Danny Lawson, Jerry Simpson, Donnie Epperson, Jimmy Logan, Jr., and Emmette Johnson serving as pallbearers. Moe McCormack, Bill Ledford, Paul Gallaway, Gen Canup, Herman Logan, Herman Melton, Randy Fox, Igene Calfee, Calvin Arnold, Jim Duggan, John Moore and John Buchanan will serve as honorary pallbearers. A white dove release ceremony will conclude the service. His family will receive friends from 5-8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Theodore Mackey Scholarship Fund, Walker Valley High School, c/o Danny Coggin, 750 Lauderdale Memorial Hwy, Cleveland, TN 37312. We invite you to send a message of condolence and view the Mackey family guestbook at www.fikefh.com.