Mr. Thomas Kelly Austin, better known as Kelly, age 89 of Sparta, passed away Tuesday, January 3, 2023 at Beverly Park Place Health and Rehab.

Kelly was born May 22, 1933 in Sparta, Tennessee to the late Judge Edgar David & Jospehine Davis Austin. He had a long career in the paving industry from working in road construction to owning his own asphalt sealing and striping business. He loved working and a had worked a few small sealing jobs as late as the summer of 2022. He also enjoyed working with the Boy Scouts and had helped several scouts achieve their goal of Eagle Scout. In addition to his parents, he is also preceded in death by his nine siblings.

Surviving family members include his two daughters and their spouses Abbie and Roger Teeple of Morganton, N.C., GiGi and Tim Taylor of Knoxville, TN

Son: T.K. Austin and wife Brenda of Sparta

Grandchildren: Josh Teeple and wife Taylor, J.T. Taylor, Eric Taylor, Lindsey Austin Vaughn and husband Trevor, Thomas Austin

Four great-grandchildren

Mother of his children: Nancy Sterling Austin

Special friend: Mabel Martin

A host of nieces and nephews also survive

Funeral services will be conducted 1:00pm Saturday, January 7, 2023 from the Chapel of Hunter Funeral Home with burial in Highland Cemetery. The family will receive friends after 11:00am Saturday at Hunter Funeral Home. Doug Benningfield will officiate.

J.T. Taylor, Tim Taylor, Eric Taylor, Josh Teeple, Roger Teeple and Jeff Hutson will serve as pallbearers.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Boy Scouts of America Middle TN Council, 3414 Hillsboro Pike, Nashville, TN 37215 or www.mtcbsa.org