Forrest Conklin Dr. Forrest Conklin, age 83, of Farragut, Tennessee, passed away on Sunday, April 3, 2011, with his family by his side. He was a member of West Hills Baptist Church of Knoxville, Tennessee. Preceded in death by his parents, Royal Forrest and Monte Lee Sneed Conklin; sister, Monte Joyce Middleton; and father-in-law and mother-in-law, Lester and Gladys Bowman. Dr. Conklin was ordained as a minister on September 7, 1947, at First Baptist Church, Monahans, Texas. He received his bachelor of arts at Howard Payne University, Brownwood, Texas; master of arts in speech from Baylor University on August 17, 1950; and doctor of philosophy from Ohio University on August 26, 1967. He served the Junior Chamber of Commerce as secretary/treasurer for Tennessee in 1962. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy Air Corps from 1945-1947. He became an Eagle Scout and was inducted into the Order of the Arrow. Dr. Conklin was active in genealogy, traced and certified by East Tennessee Historical Society as a member of the "First Families of Tennessee." Dr. Conklin served as an instructor for the Clarke Memorial College from 1950-1954, Carson Newman College, assistant professor and intercollegiate debate coach from 1954-1968, where he was coach of the 1965 National Collegiate Debate Champions); University of Northern Iowa, Director of Forensics, 1968-1978; Associate Professor, 1968-1974; Professor, 1974-1997. Dr. Conklin retired in 1997. Dr. Conklin enjoyed growing orchards. He also volunteered at the East Tennessee Historical Society from 2000-2009. Survivors include his wife of fifty-two years, Phyllis Bowman Conklin of Farragut; a son, Chris Conklin of Cedar Falls; a sister, Doris McCain of Oxnard, California; countless nieces, nephews, students, and special friends. The family will receive friends on Thursday, April 7, at Kyker Funeral Home, Sweetwater, Tennessee, from 4 until 7 p.m. Funeral services will be conducted on Friday afternoon at 1 p.m. in Kyker's Chapel with the Reverend Jack Pennington officiating. Interment to follow in the Sweetwater Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society. Copyright Waterloo Courier on-line edition, April 5, 2011.
