William “Bill” Carl Hobbs, 74, of Whitwell, Tennessee, died of a heart attack at his residence on Tims Ford Lake on Wednesday, February 3, 2016.
Bill was born in Coalmont and raised in Whitwell. A graduate of Whitwell High School, class of 1959, he received undergraduate and graduate degrees from Middle Tennessee State University. He was an outstanding fullback on the MTSU football team, having played in the 1961 Tangerine Bowl. He had a distinguished career in law enforcement as a special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) with assignments in Georgia, Illinois, and Arkansas. After nearly 30 years with ATF, he retired and settled on Tims Ford Lake, where he had vacationed for many years on his return visits home from ATF duty. He was a passionate football fan—rooting for the Vols, Packers, and Broncos. He loved having his early morning coffee with his beautiful wife and with his family, friends, and neighbors on the back porch of his house overlooking the Lake.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Jeff and Margie Hobbs.
He is survived by his loving wife of 26 years, Carolyn (Keathley); two sons, Jeffrey (Dianne) Hobbs of Estill Springs and Jason (Jana) Hobbs of Hendersonville; one daughter, Michelle (Bobby) Childres of Vilonia, AR; seven grandchildren, Will and Leanna (Estill Springs), Hannah and Ally (Hendersonville), Samantha, Keathley, and Sarah of Arkansas; one great-grandson, Ruger of Arkansas; one brother, Reverend Roger (Jane) Hobbs of Scottsboro, AL; one uncle, James O Smith of Coalmont; and two cousins, Anthony (Josh) Smith of Estill Springs and Sass (Randall) Caldwell of Hixson, TN.
Funeral service will be Saturday, Feb. 6 at 1 p.m. at Whitwell Memorial Funeral Home, who has charge of the arrangements.