A Shopper-News Special Section
Life
July 15, 2013
profits, but her public service stepped up when By Wendy Smith her subdivision, West Hills, was threatened by Some consider leisure to be the ultimate the construction of West Town Mall in 1972. That reward for a life well-lived, but not Reuben experience spurred her to help other neighborand Barbara Pelot. At 78, Reuben, who is also hoods have a voice in city government. She ran called Nib, works fulltime at his dental pracfor City Council at the age of 64, and served two tice. And when she’s not volunteering elsefour-year terms beginning in 2001. where, Barbara works beside him. “That opened up a whole new world for me. I He has no immediate plans to retire. felt like everybody in Knoxville was my neighbor. “It’s my opinion that the more active you I learned about so many opportunities for serare, the more active you can be,” he says. vice,” she says. That would explain the extraordinary She has served on several commissions and amount of community service accomplished boards, but she’s particularly proud of the fact by these two. It began early in their marriage that she opened up each City Council meeting and hasn’t let up. with a prayer as chaplain of the group. She grew Nib grew up in Crossville, and Barbara was up attending Concord United Methodist Church, raised in Farragut. They married in 1957 when and Nib became a member when they married. Nib was halfway through dental school. As The church has been yet another outlet for service soon as Barbara finished her degree, they had for the Pelots, as Barbara has taught numerous four children in four years. Sunday school classes and Nib has held almost After Nib served in the Army Dental Corps, every church office. he began working with Barbara’s uncle in Barbara is still active with, and passionate Knoxville. Along with his full-time job, he saw about , a number of nonprofits, including the Joy dental patients at the Knox County Health of Music School and the Sexual Assault Center Department one morning per week. When he of East Tennessee. She also continues to serve began taking a mobile dental unit to outlying on the Juvenile Court Advisory Board and the schools, Barbara went with him. She also beFoster Care Review Board. came active in the local dental auxiliary, and Nib and Barbara Pelot relax at their West Hills home after a busy day. Photo by eventually became president of the Tennessee Nib has been president of the West Hills ComWendy Smith Dental Auxiliary. munity Association for 3 years, and his quiet Nib bought his own practice, and as soon leadership calms heated discussions, like those the boss here,” Nib laughs. as their youngest child was in kindergarten, that have sprung up as Tennova Healthcare plans In 1999, Nib “begged and borrowed” equipment to start Barbara started helping at the office. a new medical center in the neighborhood’s backyard. a dental clinic at the Volunteer Ministry Center. The Pelots “I was awestruck by what he could do. What he does, Barbara encourages everyone to become involved worked there every Friday for over 10 years. Through his he does well,” says Barbara, who continues to manage in community service, regardless of age. Many organiinvolvement with the Tennessee State Guard, Nib has also the details at his office. “I do my thing and he does his.” zations have simple needs, like people to make phone donated time to local Veteran Stand Downs, which procalls, she says. They agree that their respect for each other enables vide medical care for homeless veterans. them to work together. “There are no specific qualifications,” she says. “People just need people.” “She would let me be the boss there, and she would be Barbara has a long history of volunteering with non-
NEWS FROM GENTRY GRIFFEY FUNERAL CHAPEL & CREMATORY
Advantages Offered by Knox County’s Only On-Site Crematory
The Tri-State Crematory, located less than 20 miles from Chattanooga, provided cremation services for a number of funeral homes in Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama before the discovery of more than 300 uncremated bodies. Family members had been given concrete dust instead of the cremated remains of their loved ones.
Considerations Before Cremation: • Does the funeral home own its own crematory? • Are you able to visit and inspect the crematory? • If the crematory is off-site, where is it, and can you inspect it?
Just 11 years ago, a grisly scene was discovered at Tri-State Crematory, an industrial crematory that provided cremation services to a number of funeral homes in Tennesee, Georgia, and Alabama. More than 300 bodies were found in piles in a storage shed, in vaults, and scattered across the property instead of being cremated as had been promised. Horrified family members learned that they had been provided concrete dust instead of the cremated remains of their loved ones. Later it was discovered that many of the funeral homes never inspected the crematory to learn its operating procedures and never ensured that cremations were actually being carried out. At the time, Gentry Griffey Funeral Chapel & Crematory managing partner Eric Botts worked at Ralph Buckner Funeral Home in Cleveland, Tennessee. Since Buckner owned and operated its own on-site crematory, none of the affected families had used Buckner, but the funeral home quickly offered to retrieve any identified body from Tri-State and provide cremation services at no charge for those families, ultimately providing dozens of
free cremations. Botts is quick to point out that the situation in Noble, Georgia was highly unusual and certainly is not being repeated at any local crematory. “However, it is still on the minds of many of our clients who come in to tour our facility and make their own prearrangements,” says Botts. “Having seen first-hand the way the traumatic events in Noble, Georgia impacted the affected families, I felt it a top priority to establish Knox County’s only on-site crematory to provide this service to the area,” says Botts, who has been with Gentry Griffey since July 2010. By having a crematory onsite, Gentry Griffey is not dependent on anyone else’s schedule or facilities, and they oversee every step of the cremation. The entire cremation process is completed at their on-site crematory by their professional and licensed staff, keeping costs affordable for a variety of budgets. Because Gentry Griffey’s crematory is located on their premises and includes a viewing room, they both welcome and encourage families to be present prior to the cremation, which is an option not available at any other area funeral home. For those who have chosen cremation but have pre-planned their final arrangements at another funeral home, it is a very simple process to transfer that pre-arranged plan to Gentry Griffey. Their staff can handle all of the details to make
it as seamless as possible for clients. Over the last few years, the interest in cremation as a means of final disposition has dramatically increased. There are many options available for those who choose cremation, and it is not necessary to limit or alter the type of funeral arrangements you select because you have chosen cremation. Many families include the traditional viewing, visitation and funeral service as a part of the final arrangements, while others decide to have a simpler memorial service. There are many reasons why people choose cremation. Among the most common are environmental considerations, philosophical reasons, cost, and because they feel it is less complicated for their families. Whatever the reason, choosing cremation is a very personal decision and one that should be made after considering all of the options. Gentry Griffey offers Knoxville’s only on-site crematory, and their staff is available to answer any questions about cremation and pre-planning and/or pre-funding final arrangements.
5301 Fountain Road Knoxville, TN 37918 (865) 689-4481 www.GentryGriffey.com