J. Charles Honeycutt (Charlie), age 94, of Columbia, Tennessee died on Thursday, March 30, 2023 at home in Columbia, TN. Born February 25, 1929 in Greeneville, Tennessee he was the son of the late Fox and Stacie Honeycutt of Knoxville, TN. He was also predeceased by his first wife Thais Vives Honeycutt, and his second wife, Mary Reed Honeycutt, as well as brother-in-law James E. Miller, and his Aunt Sophia Blanch Combs.
He is survived by his wife, Reba Stevenson Honeycutt (and her children Sandra and Alexander), his sons: Charles Kim Honeycutt and wife Soonie of Tyngsboro, MA, and Mark Hanson Honeycutt of Wilton, CT, his daughter Cheree A. Honeycutt Wiegman of Columbia, TN, grandson Michael Honeycutt (ex-wife Lindsay) and great-grandson Parker J. Honeycutt of Cape Coral, FL, sister Wanda H. Miller of Atlanta, GA, niece Lisa M Holland of Atlanta, sister-in-law Molly/Bill Ammons and niece-in-law Marnie/Ted Johnson of Columbia, TN.
Charlie graduated from Oak Ridge High School, Oak Ridge, TN and was an alumnus of Berea College, Berea, Kentucky where he earned his B.S. Degree in Business Administration in 1951. Awarded a Graduate Assistantship by the University of Tennessee/Knoxville, he received his Master of Science Degree in Labor Relations in 1952.
After completing Officer Candidate School at the U.S. Naval Base in Newport, Rhode Island, he was commissioned an Ensign in the U.S. Navy in December 1952. His military career included service as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Officer, Deep Sea Diving Officer, and Executive Officer of the USS Gillis, a minehunter ship during the Korean Conflict. Active in the Naval Reserve for 22 years, he retired with the rank of Commander in 1989. Reserve duty included active duty aboard the aircraft carriers: USS Lake Champlain, USS Essex, USS Antietam and USS Independence, Commanding Officer of Naval Reserve Units, Toledo, Ohio and Lima, Ohio, duty at the Naval Academy and Naval War College.
On release from the Navy in 1955, he began his career with Union Carbide Corporation with the National Carbon Division Industrial relations department in Charlotte, North Carolina. Later he was Assistant Manager Industrial Relations at the Columbia, Tennessee plant. From there he was promoted to Assistant Plant Manager at the Fostoria, Ohio manufacturing facilities. In 1971, he was transferred to the Division’s New York City Corporate Employee Relations Department which later moved to Danbury, CT in 1980. In 1986, he retired as Manager of Human Resources for the Carbon Products Division of Union Carbide Corporation with 31 years of company service.
He was an active member in First United Methodist Church (FUMC) in Columbia, TN and for many years he was active in St. Christopher Church in McGregor Bay, Ontario, Canada as well as Palmas Community Church in Humacao, Puerto Rico. Other activities included: Junior Chamber of Commerce, President of the Fostoria, Ohio Kiwanis Club; Junior Director First Farmers & Merchants Bank in Columbia, Tennessee and also the Commercial Bank in Fostoria, Ohio. He liked to play tennis and golf, but his favorite was fishing and boating in Canada with family and friends.
The family will receive visitors on Tuesday, April 4th from 4pm to 6pm, with funeral services starting at 6 pm at the First United Methodist Church, Columbia, TN with Rev. Lee Stevenson officiating. Burial will follow at a later date privately with family at the Middle Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to: First United Methodist Church, 222 W. 7th Street, Columbia, TN 38401. Honorary pallbearers: Charles Kim Honeycutt, Mark Hanson Honeycutt, Michael Honeycutt, Bill Ammons, Ted Johnson, Hardin Johnson. Burial arrangements are being handles by Oakes & Nichols, Inc., Columbia, TN and condolences may be extended online at www.oakesandnichols.com.
