Charles Elmer Boring, 81, of Cleveland, TN, died on Tuesday, July 17, 2012.
Elmer, as everyone knew him, was born May 10, 1931 to his parents, Joseph and Mildred Boring. Elmer at a young age traveled to area churches with Preacher H. L. Lewis to sing and play the guitar. His love of gospel singing would endure throughout his life. He was a United States Air Force veteran who served in Korea during the Korean War. He was the owner of a grocery store in downtown Cleveland for a number of years and was a mail carrier for the United States Postal Service with a route in rural Polk County.
As a charter member of Waterville Baptist Church, Elmer devoted many years to the church choir and the youth choir. Under his leadership, the youth choir recorded an album and traveled to many area churches to perform. He was the tenor for two gospel quartets, The Chordells and the Silver Tones and sang until he began to suffer poor health. Elmer was an outgoing person who loved good conversation and good food. His greatest love though was for his Lord and his family.
Elmer was preceded in death by his parents; his infant brother, Thomas; sister, Willa Mae Boring Whiteside; brother-in-law, Robert Whiteside; and sister-in-law, Edith Boring.
He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Ruth Darnell Boring who has been his faithful, loving caregiver throughout his times of illness; his two sons and daughters-in-law, Doug and Dara Boring and Greg and Lori Boring, all of Cleveland; daughter and son-in-law, Melissa and Bo Newsome of Sevierville; grandchildren, Lara Boring Helton and husband, Steven of Murfreesboro, Mark Boring, Will Rice and Ben Rice, all of Cleveland, Luke Newsome and Dalton Newsome, both of Sevierville and Meghann Newsome Harper of Chattanooga; and brothers, Roy Boring and Joe Boring and wife, Bernice, all of Cleveland; and many nieces, nephews and great-nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, July 19, in the chapel of Grissom Funeral Home with Pastor Allan Lovelace officiating. Interment will follow in Sunset Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive friends from 5-8 p.m. Wednesday, July 18 at the Grissom Funeral Home who has charge of the arrangements.