David "Wayne" Tilson Sr.

David “Wayne” Tilson Sr., age 77, of Knoxville, TN, passed away on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, at home surrounded by his family.

Wayne was born to James "Pat"  and Dorothy Tilson in Erwin, TN. He attended Unicoi County High School and then went on to earn his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from East Tennessee State University (ETSU).

He served his country in the U.S. Army and rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel before retiring. He served tours in the Korean DMZ during the Vietnam era and in Europe.  Wayne was very humble and was a well respected officer who earned many commendations to include the National Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Korea), and the Army Commendation Medal.

He was a long-time employee of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) working in nuclear power and was a Masonic Brother of the Blue Lodge of Columbus, GA.

In his spare time, he enjoyed SCUBA Diving, and birdwatching, and was a firearms instructor.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Pat and Dorothy Tilson.

He is survived by and leaves behind his wife, Cyndee Tilson; daughter Tammy (Stephen) Kirkland; son David (Jennie) Tilson, Jr; adopted daughter Angie (Tony) Rader; brother Glenn (Carol) Tilson; sister Betty (Cecil) Tester; grandchildren Josh (Jillian) and Cole Kirkland, Daphne and Shea Tilson, Isabella Rader; nephews Jim and Steve (Natalie) Tilson, along with many friends near and far.

The family would like to give special thanks to his caregiver, Kearea (the only one he did not run off!) and the Homebased Primary Care team for their undivided attention.

In place of flowers, donations may be made to the Wounded Warriors Foundation.

The family will gather at Gentry-Griffey Funeral Chapel and Crematory (5301 Fountain Rd, Knoxville, TN 37918) on Thursday, November 2, 2023, from 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. for a receiving of friends. A celebration of life will follow for those who wish to speak about Wayne and the life he led.

The family will gather at Mountain Home National Cemetery (53 Memorial Ave, Mountain Home, TN 37684) on Friday, November 3, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. for an inurnment service with full military honors.

Gentry-Griffey Funeral Chapel and Crematory is honored to serve the Tilson family and invites you to sign the online registry.

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