Rev. R.C. Harless

Harless, Rev. R.C. (Rufus C.) “Preacher Harless” went to be in the full presence of God forever on Saturday October 5, 2013. A native of Corryton, R.C. was a beacon of Light in his community, as well as the surrounding area where he served as a beloved and respected pastor, missionary, leader and friend. After answering God’s call to the ministry in 1963, R.C. was the pastor of several Southern Baptist churches in Grainger, Union and Knox counties including New Corinth, Cedar Ford, Block Springs, Buffalo, Third Baptist, Little Flat Creek, Mouth of Richland, and Fair Haven and was the Director of Missions for the Northern Baptist Association. R.C. served in the Crusade of the Americas, the SBC Home Mission Board’s national Sunday School Enlargement Campaign and the Billy Graham Crusade. Churches in Tennessee and surrounding states frequently called on him to lead their revivals and train their lay workers. Always a bi-vocational minister, R.C. retired from the U.S. Post Office in 1993, but continued his work as a supply preacher and a volunteer for Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee. Born in 1929, he was the youngest and 7th child of Rufus Esco and Ida Catherine (Clapp) Harless. He will be joined in blissful reunion with his parents, his sisters Edith (Burchell) Bales and Melba (Ray) Bush, and his brothers Bernard (Edith), James “Buddy” (Mary), and Kenneth “Buster” (Jean and Mary) and sister-in-law, Margaret Harless. His brother Paul Harless of North Augusta, SC is now the sole survivor of this large and loving family. R.C. will be terribly missed by his beloved wife of 65 years, Mary Lou Mynatt Harless. They were high-school sweethearts and by each other’s side through all of life until his last breath. Also by his side was Clay, his loyal 4-legged buddy. Even in the cruelty of dementia and until the last days of his life, R.C. continued to exhibit his kind, gentle and generous heart and his endearing sense of humor. R.C. and Mary parented five beautiful children, eight grandchildren and six great grandchildren. Their family is Becky & Zane Graves with son Kelly (Dusty, KaLynn and Taylor) and daughter Casey (Katy Blankenship and Troy Graves); Debbie Harless & Donnis Minx with daughter Chandra (John, Noah and Georgi); Denise and Gary Davis with sons Mitchell and Morgan and their special friends Brooke Morgan and Brittney McGill; Bill and Cindy Harless with sons Cory (Katie), Ben (Emily) and daughter Christina; David and Sharon Harless with son Dylan, step-daughter Melanie (Landon and Shayla). He leaves numerous beloved nieces and nephews and special family friends including Gail, Rick, Isaiah and Hannah Cameron; Alyssa, Brianna and Seth Blankenship; long time friends Judy Martin and family; and Bob and Sarah (Swann) Hardy and the Swann families. Mary and daughters, Debbie and Denise would like to give a special thanks to the round-the-clock caregivers who took excellent care of R.C. Their hard work and kind spirits allowed his wishes to be honored - to live his life to its end happily in his home. Visitation will be on Tuesday, October 8 at Little Flat Creek Baptist Church 9132 East Emory Road Corryton, TN. 37721 from 2:00-7:00 and the memorial celebration will follow at 7:00 pm. with Rev. Harold Bales, Rev. Damon Patterson and Rev. Jerry Baltimore officiating. Pallbearers are his grandsons Kelly, Cory, Mitchell, Ben, Morgan, Dylan, Troy and Landon. Honorary pallbearers are his “son in the ministry” Rev. Wayne Roach, Leon Davis, Harvey Wright, Stanley Thurman, Sam Bryan, Bill Julian, Crosby “Butch” Drew, Hugh Boyer, Red Mynatt, Gary Walker and numerous fellow ministers. Family and friends will meet at the church cemetery on Wednesday at 11:15 am for graveside service at 11:30. Flowers will be appreciated, as well as, donations to the Little Flat Creek B.C. Cemetery Fund (PO Box 181, Corryton, TN 37721) or Second Harvest Food Bank (136 Harvest Lane, Maryville, TN 37801 / www.SecondHarvestETN.org). Arrangements by Rose Mortuary Broadway Chapel. Online obituary and condolences may be made at www.rosemortuary.com

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Rev. R.C. Harless

June 17, 1929 - October 5, 2013