Thomas B. Drinnen, Jr.

Dr. Thomas B. Drinnen, Jr. left this earth to be with his Lord on December 26, 2023, from UT

Medical Center. He was born on May 26, 1937. He was a long-time family physician at UT

Medical Center and the Medical Director of Hillcrest Nursing Homes offering high quality care to

vulnerable older adults until the mid-1990’s.

Tom loved his God, his family, and extended church family at Arlington Church of Christ where

he was an excellent teacher and elder for 35 years. He loved being a doctor like his dad and

grandfather, and spent much of his medical career serving underserved populations in

Knoxville. He worked 3.5 years in Liberia, West Africa as a medical missionary. Tom pioneered

mobile clinics in his Liberian work allowing him to also serve the spiritual and physical needs of

many villages and communities. Tom and Anita were honored for their work in Africa with the

Farrar Award for Service in Medical Missions by the International Christian Hospital Foundation.

Tom was preceded in death by his father, Captain Thomas B. Drinnen (died in WW II); mother,

Fern Drinnen Bittle; half-brother, Jimmy Bittle and sister-in-law, Billie Drinnen. He is survived by

his beloved wife, Anita Hunter Drinnen; daughter, Dr. Susan Kehl (Kevin) of Fairfield Bay,

Arkansas; son, Tommy Drinnen; brother, Dr. Gary Drinnen of Mooresville, North Carolina; brother,

Dr. Dan Drinnen (Sue) of Dickson, Tennessee; grandchildren, Braden Kehl (Alex) of Fayetteville,

Arkansas and Brooke Kehl of Franklin, Tennessee and many nieces and nephews

The family will receive friends at Arlington Church of Christ at 3-5 pm on Friday, December

29, 2023. A Celebration of Life will follow at 5 pm in the auditorium.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Arlington Church of Christ earmarked for the

Hope Fund.

Gentry Griffey Funeral Chapel and Crematory is honored to serve the Drinnen family. Condolences may be left for the family at www.gentrygriffey.com.

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