Clarence Scaife
Clarence Franklin Scaife, 79, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, died on September 25, 2015.
He was a member of New Hope Baptist Church, Dalton, at the time of his death.
He was a veteran of the Korean conflict.
In the mid-60s, his was a household name in Chattanooga as WNOO radio personality “Sweet Daddy Clarence.”
A retired journalist, Clarence was the first full time African-American reporter for the Chattanooga Times, In addition, he reported for newspapers in Germany and England. He was the co-owner of the Northstar Publishing Co which published the Chattanooga Northstar weekly newspaper. He, along with the late Gene Mckissic founded the Chattanooga Northstar/USA Informer, a merger of the Chattanooga Northstar Weekly and the Tennessee Informer. He moderated three local public service television broadcasts in the mid-70s: Jaycee Questions on WRCB, We the People and A Matter of Understanding on WTCI public television.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Mrs. Jewel Williams, father, Haywood Scaife; stepfather Ralph Williams, brother Woodrow F. Scaife; niece, Patricia Kyle; and grandmother, Carrie L. Williams.
He is survived by his devoted wife and caretaker, Mary, sister, Sheila Ogletree Ball; his children, Barbara, Kenneth (Celeste), Linda, Eric, Sr., Tayla, Mia and Beverly; devoted stepchildren, Jacqueline Moore, Sherry English, Sheila Character, Synyonter King, Derrick English, William Character, and Excellent (Natasha) Character who spent many hours with him and always made sure he was shaved and his hair was cut “just so”; grandchildren, Erica, Allison, Karla, Erin (Zack), Eric, Jr., Shelby, Gerald, Reginal, Karris and Ebony; nine great-grandchildren; mother-in-law, Sarah (Lewis James) Elaster; sister-in-law, Rae (Kary) Landrum; brothers-in-law, John and James Hughley; nephews and nieces, Geoffrey (Kittie), Kevin, Jewel Denise, and Kevin; a host of other nieces, nephews, cousins and dear friends.
Funeral service will be held at noon at Greater Second Baptist Church on Friday, Oct. 2. Interment will be in Chattanooga National Cemetery.
The body will lie in state after noon on Thursday, Oct. 1, and the family will receive friends from 6-7 p.m. in the chapel of the John P. Franklin Funeral Home, 1101 Dodds Ave., 622-9995.
Clarence Scaife