Kenneth “Wayne” Sewell. 61, of Athens, TN, died on Saturday morning, March 23, 2013.
He was known by his friends as “Bigfoot“ and his Truck Driving peers as “Grasshopper”. Wayne was born May 15, 1951 to Jay and Geneva Sewell and has lived all his life on the Sewell farm in Athens, TN. He went to Grammar School at Hillsview and graduated in 1969 from Calhoun High School having gone all 12 years without missing a day. He had a successful basketball career while at Calhoun as “the Mule“. His highlight game was against McMinn High School when he scored over 40 points from the lower right corner (and shots only counted 2 points in those days) he was quick to say. He turned down a basketball scholarship to pursue his dream of being a professional over the road truck driver. And a PRO he was. He worked over 31 years for Magic Chef/Maytag and spent the last 10 years with First Fleet in Cleveland, TN. He has driven millions of miles into 48 of the United States and made friends and acquaintances in all of them. Once you met Wayne you didn’t forget him. Wayne loved spending time with his family, friends, his horses, his dog and riding the open road on motorcycles. He and Edna traveled many miles across God’s great country seeing the sights. He was an avid supporter of the Godspot Blockparty in Decatur and helped organize and lead the Godsport Motorcycle Ride for the past 9 years.
Wayne was preceded in death by his father, Jay Sewell; and his grandparents, Jess and Bertha Goforth and Thomas and Mahala Sewell.
He is survived by his loving wife of 35 years, Edna Smith Sewell of Athens; his daughter Tiffany Mitchell and her husband Andy of Decatur, TN; his son, Dusty Sewell of Murfreesboro, TN; three precious granddaughters that he thought hung the moon, Lexy, CoCo and Channing Mitchell of Decatur; his mother, Geneva Goforth Sewell of Athens, TN; one sister, Faye Renner and her husband Johnny of Calhoun, TN; six nephews; six nieces; and many, many “special friends”.
Viewing will be Monday, March 25 from 5-8 p.m. at Bowers Funeral Home in Decatur, TN.
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, March 26 at 2 p.m. at Shiloh Baptist Church in Decatur, TN where he was a member. Pallbearers will be Johnny Renner, Danny Smith, Rusty Smith, Jeff Smith, David Collins, Bobby Cass, Joey Fritts, Michael Renner and Shaun Smith. Honorary pallbearers will be his driving buddies. Martin Heifner, Lee Whitted, Wayne Brown, William Cos, Jimmy Lawson, Freddie Stewart, Jerry Oliver and Rick Hamby.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Godspot Blackparty and mailed to 2910 Mt. Carmel Road, Decatur, TN 37322.
Bowers Funeral Home has charge of the arrangements.