Blake Daniel Tolley

Published 4:26 pm Friday, February 16, 2018

Blake Daniel Tolley, 90, of Unicoi, passed away Thursday, February 15, 2018, at Lakebridge Health Care of Johnson City. He was a native of Carter County and a son of the late Eli Joseph Tolley and Minnie Byrd Tolley.
Mr. Tolley was a long-time member of Fairview Freewill Baptist Church in Hampton. He retired from North American Rayon after 48 years. He was a U.S. Army veteran, having served his country during World War II and later spent many years in the Army National Guard.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his loving wife, Elsie Guinn Tolley, in 2015; a son, Raymond Tolley; two sisters, Nellie Tolley and Lurla Bailey; six brothers, Roy, Lloyd, Lawrence, George, Lewis and Robert Tolley; two grandsons, Raymond B. Tolley Jr. and Tommy Joe Tolley; a granddaughter, Stacy Yarber; and a great-grandson, T.J. Yarber.
Survivors include a son, Bruce Tolley and his wife Goldie of Johnson City; two daughters, Margaret Gregg and husband Dallas of Unicoi and Phyllis Tolley of Unicoi; a special friend, Tom Landingham of Unicoi; two brothers, Ray Tolley of Hampton and Donald Tolley and wife Anna of Johnson City; 10 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; one great-great-granddaughter; and many nieces and nephews.
Funeral services for Mr. Tolley will be conducted at 7 p.m. Sunday, February 18, at Fairview Freewill Baptist Church in Hampton with Rev. Dallas Gregg, Pastor Gary Whitehead and Rev. Lester Simerly officiating. Special music will be provided by the Fairview Church Choir, Stevens Family and Steven Nelson. The family will receive friends at the church from 5 p.m. until the service hour, and other times at the home of Dallas and Margaret Gregg, 1008 Marbleton Road, Unicoi. Graveside services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, February 19, with Rev. Donnie Harris officiating and singing and Military Honors provided by Carter County Honor Guard Detail, in the Guinn Cemetery, Hampton. Active pallbearers will be Dwight Gregg, B.J. Tolley, Joe Tolley, David Tolley, Anthony Gregg, Holden Tolley, Jerry Gill and Steve Nelson. Honorary pallbearers will be his great-grandsons, nephews, David Cigaro, Calab Arrwood, River Gill, Eli Nelson, John and Ben Tolley, Cade Wilcox, and a special friend, Rev. Ed Davis. For those attending this service you are asked to meet at the cemetery by 10:50 a.m. The family would like to give special thanks to the entire staff of Caris Hospice and Lakebridge Health Care Center, especially the wounds nurses for the wonderful care they provided. Condolences may be made online at www.wadugger.com.
Woodall-Anderson and Dugger Funeral Home, 108 W. Watauga Avenue, Johnson City, 423-928-2245, is serving the Tolley family.