Bart Whitfield

After enjoying the company of family at Thanksgiving, Bart passed away on the morning of Sunday the 25th.

He was recently diagnosed with advanced esophageal cancer—if you know anything about this type of cancer, it often goes undetected until it is well established. One day he was fine, the next he was quite sick. Though he sought treatment, remission was just not in the stars. Bart was a quiet, private man who didn’t like a lot of fuss—many of you may be surprised to know that he was ill.

He leaves his daughters Meredith (husband Dimi) and Shelby and their mother Gina, as well as his brother Nelson (wife Neila), brother-in-law Richard, sister-in-law Alicia (husband Kevin), niece Elizabeth Wilson, Whitfield nephews Connor (Lauren) and Clayton (Kellie), grandnieces Amelia and Kennedy, and soon-to-arrive grandnephew Nolan Thomas. Bart was especially grateful to Richard for coming to stay and suddenly taking on more caretaking. He also appreciated the kindness of the infusion room nurses at TN Cancer Specialists—especially Heather.

Please join us for a casual, come-as-you-are gathering to celebrate Bart’s life at 2:00 this Sunday, December 10 at Ijams Nature Center. After a brief program, we’ll gather for chatting and remembering around the fire.

Bart loved his daughters and family, nature, his church family, and had a soft spot for children. In lieu of flowers, if you are so led, please consider donating to one of the following in memory of Bart: [Friends of the Smokies](https://friendsofthesmokies.org/donate/), [Grace Chapel Knoxville](https://gracechapelknoxville.breezechms.com/give/online), or the [River Ridge camp scholarship fund](https://johnknoxcenter.campbraingiving.com/). And when you have the choice, be kind. Have grace. You never know what the person beside you might be going through.