Gordon Carroll Elkins

Gordon Carroll Elkins, age 85, was born in Knoxville, Tennessee on May 12, 1940, passed away Tuesday, July 29, 2025. He was preceded in death by his parents, Elzie Wyatt and Ruby McKinney Elkins of Knoxville, Tennessee; brother, Allen Elkins; and sister-in-law, Patricia Elkins, of Williamsburg, Virginia. He is survived by brother, Norman Elkins (Linda), of Chattanooga; niece, Brittany Roberts (Harrison); grandnephews, Wyatt, Archie, and Bowman, of Atlanta, Georgia; nephew, Douglas Elkins (Allison); grandnieces, Millie, Lydia; and grandnephew Mac Elkins, of Lookout Mountain, Georgia; nieces, Ashley Zesinger (Greg) of Knoxville, and Allison Elkins, of Sandy Springs, Georgia; grandnieces, Amy and Julie Zesinger.

Gordon grew up in the Heiskell and Halls, Tennessee areas. He volunteered to be drafted into the US Army in 1959, and served in the Signal Corps at Fort Sheridan, Illinois and several other state bases. While he was attending Tennessee Wesleyan College, after his initial full tour, he was recalled back into the US Army, for a second term of service, prior to later graduating from The University of Tennessee, with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Political Science in 1967, College of Liberal Arts. He was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity and an Officer of the Delta Chapter. He begins working in Nashville for the State of Tennessee, Treasury Department Budget Operations. Then he worked in Tennessee’s Health Planning developing the state renal care plan and later for Health (Medical) Regulatory Boards. He took trips overseas to visit the Dominican Republic, Australia, France, Italy, and Spain. Also, a train trip out West to Idaho, Washington and Montana with his dad. Gordon loved the Smokey Mountains, overnight hiking and extensively hiked the wilderness in some of the Western National Parks. He was a very accomplished Marathon Runner and in backpacking the trails of the Smokies, multiple times every year, winter and summer seasons.

The family is grateful for all its family and friends especially Fred Van Zandt of Birmingham, Alabama and his family, long considered as our family; as well the US Military that gave most of us a jump start, as well as the University of Tennessee, an 1862 Morrill Land Grant Act University, the Elkins (Owen(Julie), Minnie, Opal, Donia, and Naomi), Charter Senior Living of Chattanooga, Erlanger Hospital, Physical Therapists, the Palliative Care and Hospice Providers, Cedar Grove Baptist Church and other neighbors of the community on Raccoon Valley, Elkins, Fleenor, and Gamble Roads. Gordon was strongly of the Baptist Faith. The family will hold a Graveside Service at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, at the Cedar Grove Baptist Church Cemetery, on Norris Freeway. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Gordon’s name to Cedar Grove Baptist Church or the University of Tennessee, Political Science Department.