John Paul, 60, and wife, Robin Renee Sells Mathes, 47, of Hampton, Tenn., passed away Friday, July 8, 2016, at Watauga Lake. They were camping when the storm came through.
Robin had lived in Georgia for several years but was a native of Bristol, Tenn. She was a graduate of Ringgold, Georgia High School. She was associated with her husband in the operation of The Hamptons Campground. Robin and John Paul loved camping, fishing, the outdoors and their family. She attended Hampton Christian Church.
She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Carl T. Sells Sr. and Mayme Ruth Sells and T.G. and Vivian Gibson Hickman, and her uncles, Samuel “Sam” David Sells and Marty Hickman.
Survivors include her son and daughter-in-law, Justin Ryan and Marsha Musselwhite, Acworth, Ga.; her daughter, Jessica Renee Musselwhite, Nashville, Tenn.; her step-son, J.P. and wife Leona Mathes, Johnson City; her grandchildren, Ella Ruth and Jackson Ryan Musselwhite; her father and step-mother, James E. “Jim” and Kim Sells, Elizabethton; her mother and step-father, Portia Hickman Jones and husband David, Woodstock, Ga.; her brother and sister-in-law, James E. “Jamie” and Tabitha Sells, Bluff City; her sisters, Carla Dawn Sells, Talking Rock, Ga., Rachel Ann Davis, Johnson City, and Amy Elizabeth Waddell, Bluff City; several nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, great-nieces and great-nephews; and their dog “Trigger” and cat “William Wallace.”
John Paul was a native of Carter County. He was a graduate of Hampton High School. He served as Carter County Circuit Court Clerk for 16 years. He along with Robin operated The Hamptons Campground. He attended Hampton Christian Church.
He was preceded in death by his father, Gene Mathes, and his grandparents, Luther and Goldie Hall, Paul Tolley and Minister and Mrs. John Mathes.
Survivors include his son and daughter-in-law, J.P. and Leona Mathes, Johnson City; his step-children, Justin Ryan and wife Marsha Musselwhite, Acworth, Ga., and Jessica Renee Musselwhite, Nashville, Tenn.; his step-grandchildren, Ella Ruth and Jackson Ryan Musselwhite; his mother, Roma Jean Tolley Mathes, Elizabethton; a sister and brother-in-law, Debbie and Jimmy Bunton, Elizabethton; his brothers, Greg Mathes and wife Teresa and Brian Mathes and Debra Buckles, all of Elizabethton; his mother-in-law, Portia Hickman Jones and husband David, Woodstock, Ga.; his father-in-law, James “Jim” Sells and wife Kim, Elizabethton; and several nieces and nephews.
Joint funeral services for John Paul and Robin will be conducted at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 14, in the Hampton Elementary School Gymnasium with Mr. Dwayne Calhoun, minister, Rev. Dave Whitesides and Rev. Adam Sells officiating. Music will be provided by Jerry White and Friends and J.P. and Leona Mathes. Active pallbearers for Robin will be Jamie Sells, Daltyn Sells, Paul Clark and Adam McBride. Active pallbearers for John Paul will be Shane Stockton, Tony Greene, Hank Jenkins, Eddie Joe Wilson, Cody Bunton, Mike “Red” Dugger, Johnny Blankenship, Rick McClain, Mick Mathis and Phil Hileman. Honorary pallbearers will be Adam McBride, Brian Mathes, Greg Mathes, Jimmy Bunton, Barry Mathis, Jamie Sells, Jagger Mathes and his many friends of Carter County. The families will receive friends from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the Hampton Elementary School. The graveside service for John Paul will be conducted at 11 a.m. Friday, July 15, in the Miller Cemetery. Family and friends will assemble at the funeral home at 10:30 a.m. Friday to go to the cemetery. Robin’s request was to be cremated. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in memory of Robin and John Paul to the American Cancer Society, % Lou Cooter, 415 Washington Avenue, Elizabethton, TN 37643 or the American Diabetes Association, Knoxville, TN Office, 211 Center Park Drive, Suite 3010, Knoxville, TN 37922. Condolences may be sent to the family at our website at www.memorialfcelizabethton. Com.
Memorial Funeral Chapel is serving the Mathes families.