Bible, William Thomas, Sr.

World War II Merchant Marine Veteran Owned And Operated Bible's Hardware In Rossville

  • Tuesday, November 7, 2017
William Bible
William Bible

William Thomas Bible, Sr. went home to be with the Lord on Sunday, November 5, 2017.

He was born on Aug. 9, 1921, in Morristown, Tn., to his parents, Glenn Gerard Bible and Flora Jones Bible. The family moved to eastern Kentucky where he spent his early years and graduated from Harlan County High School in 1939. He then worked for Swift and Co. before enlisting in the United States Merchant Marines. During World War II, he served as ship's engineer from 1942-1945. He made several world tours and was actively engaged during the Battle of Normandy. He graduated from the Merchant Marine Academy post wartime in 1945. After the war he returned to Kentucky where he and his father were co-owners and operators of Bible's Grocery Store in Hazard, Ky.

In 1956 he moved to Chattanooga, where he met and married his wife of 48 years, Annie Katherine Phillips Bible. A devoted husband and father, he is survived by their two children, William Thomas (Tom) Bible, Jr. and wife Laura, and Caroline Bible Roark, and husband Wiley; four grandchildren, Mary Katherine Roark Harbin, and  Wiley Barton (Bart) Roark, Jr., and wife Sara, William (Will) Thomas Bible III and Mary Elder Bible. He had four great grandchildren, John (Jack) Anthony Harbin, Jr., Allie Elisabeth Roark, Annie Caroline Harbin, and Wiley (Wiles) Barton Roark, III. He is also survived by his cousin Alvah Bible of Knoxville, one nephew Dr. Brent Haeberle and wife Joan of Augusta, Ga., and several great nephews and nieces as well as special family friends Annie Lee Sturnes and Mary Stolz.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, one sister, Geraldine Bible Haeberle and husband Clarence, two nephews, Dr. Glenn Haeberle and Dr. Mark Haeberle.

During his years in Chattanooga he owned and operated Bible's Hardware in Rossville, worked for many years as an agent with Jefferson Standard Life Insurance, and was a broker at E. Cecil Phillips Agency where he worked until his retirement in 1986. He was a charter member and first president of the Chattanooga chapter of the Merchant Marines Veterans Association. He was named Hamilton County Veteran of the year in 2004. He was a deacon and Sunday School teacher and a member of Stuart Heights Baptist Church at the time of his death.

Pallbearers are the Military Honor Guard of Hamilton County.

Honorary pallbearers are members of the Hamilton County Merchant Marine Veterans Association, Dr. John Whitlock, Daniel Jones and  Employees of Blue Ridge Senior Living and Mountain City Care Center.

The family will receive friends on Thursday, Nov. 9, at Lane Funeral Home on Ashland Terrace from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Funeral dervices will be held at Lane Funeral Home on Ashland Terrace on Thursday, at 1 p.m. in the funeral chapel, with Reverend Darrell Davenport officiating. The burial will follow at Forest Hills Cemetery. Memorials may be made to The Gideons International, P.O. Box 140800, Nashville, Tn. 37214-0800.       

Arrangements have been entrusted by Lane Funeral Home on Ashland Terrace, 601 Ashland Terrace, Chattanooga, Tn. 37415, www.lanefh.com.

Obituaries
Tommy Dewitt Price (Benton)
Tommy Dewitt Price (Benton)
  • 3/27/2024

Tommy Dewitt Price, 88, of Benton, departed this life peacefully on March 23, 2024, at his home. He was born on February 28, 1936, to the late Manuel and Edith Locke Price. In addition ... more

James “Jim” William Burk
James “Jim” William Burk
  • 3/26/2024

James “Jim” William Burk, 77, of Ringgold, Georgia, departed life on Saturday, March 23, 2024, at his home surrounded by his loving family. He was born on March 1, 1947, in Dalton, a son of ... more

Glendora Johnson
Glendora Johnson
  • 3/26/2024

Glendora V. Johnson, (aka. Mother, Nanny, Aunt Glen) was born on March 27, 1927, to the late Tom and Flora Smith in Bakewell, Tn. She was the youngest of nine children and was a graduate of Booker ... more