Obituary of Elma Lynn Bledsoe

Kingsport – Elma Lynn Linkous Bledsoe, 79 of Kingsport, passed from this life and into the arms of Jesus on Thursday, September 24, 2020 at Holston Valley Medical Center after a long hard fought battle with cancer. She was born on June 1, 1941 to Willie Dee and Pearl J. Hammonds Linkous in Kingsport. She accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior as a teenager and was baptized in the Holston River. She was a member of Cross Connection Church of God and attended faithfully until her health declined. She retired from K-Mart after many years of service. She was a 1959 graduate of Lynn View High School. Elma loved her Lord, her church and her family, as well as, her husband’s family dearly and would do everything she could for them.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her three brothers, Waymond Linkous, Sr., C. Dennis Linkous and Hiram Joseph “Ricky Lee” Linkous; nephew, Brenton Wright; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Raleigh Bledsoe and Evelyn Arrington Bledsoe.

Left to cherish her memory are her husband, Jerry Odell “Larry” Bledsoe; three sisters, Vivian Sue Adkins (Alvis) of Mt Carmel, Carolyn Bland of Church Hill and Deborah J. Wright (Hugh) of Daytona Beach, FL; half-sister, Iva Peterson (Jeff);half-brothers, Timothy Hite (Elizabeth) and Wilbur Hite (Kathy); sister-in-law, Susan Bussey Linkous of Kingsport; step-sons, Shannon Arrington and Gerald Arrington; step-granddaughter, Cydnie Stapleton (Brandon) ; step-great-granddaughter, Brynley Stapleton; step-grandson, Roan Arrington; sisters-in-law, Ruth Russell and Tammy Harmon (Dexter), Linda Howington; brother-in-law, Donnie Bledsoe; several nieces and nephews.

A graveside service will be held at 2 pm Sunday, September 27, 2020 at Linkous Family Cemetery (adjacent to the Wills Cemetery), Wolfe Lane, Mt. Carmel with Pastor Phil Harris officiating. Those wishing to attend are asked to meet at the cemetery at 1:45 pm.

Carter-Trent Funeral Home, Kingsport is serving the Bledsoe family.