John Preston Bouton, 71, of Elizabethton, went home to be with his Lord, Wednesday, September 17, 2014, at his residence.
A native of Richmond, Va., he was a son of the late Charles E. and Georgia Naomi Riddle Bouton.
John was retired Military, having served in the National Guard, U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Army. He served during the Vietnam Era and was a reservist in Desert Storm. He was a recipient of the Purple Heart and 3 Bronze Stars. He was a Disabled American Veteran.
John was also retired due to disability from the James H. Quillen VA Medical Center. He had served as a Carter County Deputy.
John was a member of East Side Free Will Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife of 51 years, Lois Sams Bouton; a daughter and son-in-law, Audra M. and Shane Waters, Elizabethton; two sons, Darrell D. Bouton and Gina Matherly, Boones Creek, and Mitchell P. and Tammy Bouton, Elizabethton; seven grandchildren, Paige Bouton, Michael Waters, Summer Keller, Caleb Bouton, Phillip Waters, Meghan Bouton and Trinity Bouton; a great-granddaughter, Carley Nevaeh Rayfield, of the home; three brothers, Wes Bouton, Greenville, S.C., Ernest Bouton and wife Barbara, Manchester, Tenn., and Michael Bouton and wife Judy, Johnson City; and a sister, Sue Chapman and husband Buddy, Bristol, Tenn. Several nieces and nephews also survive.
A service to celebrate the life of Mr. Bouton will be conducted at 8 p.m. Thursday, September 18, at East Side Free Will Baptist Church with the Rev. Justin Deaton, the Rev. Shane Waters and the Rev. Mitchell Bouton officiating. Music will be provided by the church choir and Tammy Bouton, soloist. The graveside service and interment will be at 11:30 a.m. Friday, September 19, in the Mountain Home National Cemetery. Active pallbearers, who are requested to assemble at the funeral home at 10:50 a.m. Friday, will be Michael Waters, Phillip Waters, Caleb Bouton, Joe Williams, Michael Bouton, Julius Waters and Woody Lyons. Honorary pallbearers will be Wes Bouton, Ernest Bouton and Phillip Waters Sr. Military Honors will be provided by the American Legion. The family will receive friends at East Side Free Will Baptist Church from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, prior to the service. Friends may also visit with the family at the residence. Family and friends will assemble at the funeral home at 10:50 a.m. Friday to go to the cemetery. Condolences may be e-mailed to mfc@chartertn.net.
Memorial Funeral Chapel is serving the Bouton family.