Joseph Franklin Fowlkes III
Joseph Franklin Fowlkes III, a local entrepreneur, owner of Scenic City Recycling, devoted husband, caring father of two, and one of Chattanooga’s liveliest spirits, died on Sunday, January 24, 2016, during the early morning hours at his home. He was 31 years old, only days away from his 32nd birthday.
Joe, as most people knew him, was born on Jan. 27, 1984, and grew up in Cornersville, Tn., where he met the love of his life, Tammie Richards. After graduating high school, he relocated to Chattanooga, in 2003, where he continued to spread laughter to all of those around him. There, he opened Scenic City Recycling, an example of his love for the earth and the outdoors. Soon after, he married Tammie on Oct. 2, 2010, and they were blessed with two beautiful daughters. As a devout father and husband, in his spare time you could find him coaching soccer, taking walks with his girls, and finding any excuse to turn on the grill and open the hot sauce. In addition to that, many knew Joe for his love for Bo Jackson, the Auburn Tigers, and of course, music. He enjoyed touring with Widespread Panic and attending festivals as often as possible with his wife and many of their closest friends. He was surrounded by an amazing group of people who all recognized in him the beauty and joy that he always carried around with him.
Joe is survived by his mother and father, Stephanie and Joseph Franklin Fowlkes II, both of Cornersville; his twin sisters, Catherine Fowlkes of Chattanooga, and Carrie Fowlkes of Cornersville; his wife, Tammie Fowlkes, and their two daughters, Scarlett June, 6, and Alice Opal, 2, of Chattanooga; his mother-in-law, Debra Richards of Jacksonville, Tx.; his brother-in-law, Hank Richards of Mabank, Tx.; his sister-in-law, Jessica Richards, of Chattanooga; cousin, Jeramy and his family of Merryville, La; his extended family; and an extraordinary amount of caring friends.
Those who preceded him in death are his maternal grandparents, William Hunter Owen and Delia Anne Austin; his fraternal grandparents, Joanne and Joseph Franklin Fowlkes, Sr.; and Russell Richards, his father-in-law.
To honor and celebrate his life, a visitation will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 27, at Bennett-May-Giles County Funeral Home in Pulaski, Tn. at 11 a.m., followed immediately by his funeral service at 1 p.m.
A memorial fund has been created to benefit his wife and children, and can be found on the Internet at https://www.gofundme.com/joefowlkes.
Condolences and memories can be shared at http://www.bennettmay.com/obituaries/Joseph-Fowlkes/.
A heartfelt thanks is extended to all of those who are so generously caring for his family at this time and to those who have done so in the past. Let Joe’s joy forever stay with us and continue to benefit us all.
Visit www.heritagechattanooga.com to share words of comfort to the family.
Arrangements are by Heritage Funeral Home, 7454 East Brainerd Road, Chattanooga, Tn. 37421.