Lynn Franklin Denton
Lynn Franklin Denton passed away March 22, 2026, in Knoxville at the age of 81. He departed the surly bonds of Earth and is now touching the face of God, enjoying perfect health and peace.
He was born Sept. 14, 1944, in Knox County to Charles Hughes Denton and Barbara Woods Denton. He was married to Lyndsey Ann Steadman for 57 years before her death in 2022. Together, they traveled to 91 countries over 30 years. He later married Teresa Lynne Ownby King in 2023, whose presence brought him great fulfillment, care, happiness and joy. His life was marked by unconditional love, gratitude, a joyful spirit and a willingness to help others that personified his life and now define his legacy.
Denton was actively involved in churches throughout the area, directing music in Oliver Springs, Knoxville and Clinton for 25 years before retiring to the sanctuary choir at Clinton First Baptist Church. He was especially grateful for the opportunity to organize and teach classes for young married couples at New Salem Baptist Church and Clinton First Baptist Church called BYKOTA (Be Ye Kind One to Another). Many of those couples later assumed leadership roles in churches across the region.
He also served on committees and taught Sunday School. In the early 1990s, he served as a member and chairman of the Clinton Utilities Board. He participated in the Clinton Community Chorus and was active in PTA and school projects when his children were young.
His hobbies included traveling, collecting more than 350 elephant figurines from around the world, and researching his family history, compiling a database of more than 4,000 names.
He graduated from Carson-Newman University in 1966 with a degree in accounting and served as treasurer of student government during his senior year. He remained active with the university through alumni service and chaired the 50th anniversary celebration of his graduating class.
Following graduation, Denton began his career with Union Carbide at K-25 and Y-12 in Oak Ridge. He amassed more than 40 years of experience in information technology project management, operations, systems engineering and enterprise analysis. A certified Project Management Professional, his work included data center migration and consolidation, disaster recovery planning and execution, IT policies and procedures, systems managment and multi-site infrastructure environments. He concluded his 51-year career with a 26-week assignment in Honolulu, Hawaii.
In 2013, Lynn and Lyndsey Denton were honored by Carson-Newman University President J. Randall O’Brien and their son, Franklin Clark Denton, with the naming of the Lynn and Lyndsey Denton Gallery in the college library housing the St. John’s Bible and artifacts from the Holy Land.
He is survived by his wife, Teresa Lynne Ownby King of Knoxville; daughter, Whitney Suzanne Denton of Clinton; son, Franklin Clark Denton of Knoxville, and wife Suzanne Cates Denton; brother, Gary Michael Denton of Clinton, and wife Veronica Frances Yodzukinas Denton; special sister, Patsy Taylor Calway of Oak Ridge, and husband Robert Calway; grandchildren, Caleb Denton Clement, and wife Mackenzie Pugh Clement, of New Kensington, Pennsylvania; Rachel Lindsey Heston, and husband Scott Heston, of Oak Ridge; Emma Grace Denton, Olivia Suzanne Denton and Phoebe Ella Denton, all of Knoxville; and great-grandchildren, Zoey Danielle Heston of Oak Ridge, Lucy Jane Clement and Beau Thomas Clement, both of New Kensington, Pennsylvania.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, Lyndsey Ann Steadman Denton; his parents, Charles Hughes Denton and Barbara Woods Denton; grandparents, James Edward Woods and Ella Georgia Ryan, Frank Edwin Denton and Maggie Lola Poteet; great-grandparents, James F. Woods and Anna Elizabeth Whitt, James Arthur Ryan and Patience Annie Brooks, John Marshall Denton and Temperance Elizabeth Poteet, Elam Haywood Poteet and Mary Elizabeth Hawkins; great great-grandparents, Larkin Whitt and Annie Hayes, Peter Ryan and Sarah Rose, George Washington Brooks and Elizabeth Caroline Craig, Anderson Denton and Jane Eliza Baxter, Sidney Ervin Poteet and Mary Ann Hawkins, Harrison Brittain Hawkins and Lucinda Hawkins.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Clinton First Baptist Church Music Library Fund or Tunnel to Towers Foundation at t2t.org.
The family will receive friends from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 25, 2026, at First Baptist Church in Clinton, with the funeral to follow at 1 p.m. Dr. Danny Chisholm, Dr. Michael Prince and the Rev. Jim Tomlinson will officiate.
Graveside services will follow at Woodhaven Memorial Gardens in Claxton.
Holley-Gamble Funeral Home in Clinton is in charge of arrangements.
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