Obituaries

Richard Browder

ATHENS — Richard Cullen Browder Sr., 81, a lifelong resident of Athens, TN passed away on October 20, 2019 at Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga, TN. He was born in Athens on May 29, 1938 a son of the late William Hamilton Browder and Oda Wattenbarger Browder. He attended and graduated from the McCallie School in Chattanooga in 1956. Richard went on to graduate from Centre College in Danville, KY where he was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity. He was a lifelong member of Trinity United Methodist Church. Richard served as president of Athens Oil Company and was owner of Athens Ice Company. He sponsored many local baseball teams during his career. Richard dearly loved the game of golf. He was a member of the Spring Brook Golf and Country Club and also the Cleveland Golf and Country Club. He was also a charter member of the Chilhowee Rod & Gun Club. In addition to his parents, he was also preceded in death by one daughter Suzanne Browder Mayer, one brother William Hamilton Browder and one step grandson James Luke McGee. He leaves behind to cherish his memory, his loving wife Bunny Fisher Browder, one son Richard Cullen Browder Jr. (Ela) of Raleigh, NC, one daughter Allison Hundley Leonard (Jeffery Lee) of Cleveland, TN, one step daughter Laura Fisher Shelton McGee (Raymond) of Grand Rivers, KY, one sister-in-law Emma Jane Browder of Athens, TN, five grandchildren Michael Cullen Browder of Raleigh, NC, Elizabeth Siena Browder also of Raleigh, NC, Eliza Mayer and Will Mayer both of Anacortes, WA and Abigail Suzanne Leonard of Cleveland, TN and one step granddaughter Anna Grace McGee. The family will have a Celebration of Life Gathering on Friday, October 25, 2019 from 3:00 PM until 5:00 PM in the Athens chapel of Companion Funeral Home located at 400 S White Street in Athens. The family will conduct a private service at a later date. Honorary pallbearers will be the McCallie Class of 1956, Centre College Classmates of 1960, Morning Pointe Lane Friends, a special group of friends who brought him a chocolate milkshake everyday those including: Dean Chase, Larry Rhodes, Ben Wilson, Bo Perkinson, Keith Barton, Kevin Webb and Keith Price. In lieu of flowers, the family ask that memorial donations be made in Richard’s memory to either E. G. Fisher Public Library 1289 Ingleside Avenue, Athens, TN 37303 or McCallie School 500 Dodds Avenue, Chattanooga, TN 37404. You are encouraged to share a memory of Richard and/or your personal condolences with his family by visiting his memorial webpage and guestbook at www.companionfunerals.com. Companion Funeral Home of Athens is honored to assist his family with these arrangements.

Published October 23, 2019

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