Thomas "W" Fife

March 22, 1931 - June 21, 2020

Thomas “W” Fife, age 89 resident of Gray, Tennessee, passed away on Sunday, June 21, 2020, at his home. He was born March 22, 1931, son of Earl Hanson Fife and Gwendolyn Elizabeth Thomas Fife. He was raised in parsonages in Tennessee, New Mexico, Arizona, Washington, Montana, and Texas. He was born again at age 21 while serving in the United States Navy. He was a member of the U.S. Naval Reserve (1949-1954), serving on active duty 1952-1954. With one year of sea duty, he served aboard USS LAKE CHAMPLAIN (CVA-39) in the Korean War Zone (1953). He was awarded the Navy Occupation Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal (one battle star), United Nations Service Medal, and Presidential Unit Citation Medal (by the Republic of Korea). With the passage of time, he merited Republic of Korea War Service Medal, Combat Service Commemorative Medal, Korean Defense Commemorative Medal, Cold War Victory Commemorative Medal, Overseas Service Commemorative Medal, Sea Service Commemorative Medal, Navy Service Commemorative Medal, and Armed Forces of the United States Honorable Service Commemorative Medal. Thomas graduated from Hamilton High School (Hamilton, Montana) in 1949. He was educated at Texas Christian University, University of Houston, Milligan College (B.A. 1956), and Louisiana State University (M.A. 1959), major in history, minor in government. M.A. thesis: “The Election of 1848 in Louisiana.” Awarded earned Master of Theology degree in 2004 by Faculade Teológica Cristã do Brasil (Christian Theological Seminary of Brazil) in Brasilia; thesis: “A Igreja do Novo Testamento” (The Church of the New Testament). Served pastorates and/or elderships in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; San Antonio, Texas; Maracaibo, Venezuela; Goiânia, Brazil; Friendsville, Maryland; Jonesborough, Tennessee. Responsible for reviving and/or planting churches in Silvânia, Paraíso do Tocantins, and Goiânia, Brazil. He was a long-time member and elder of Central Christian Church, Jonesborough, and member of Colonial Heights Christian Church, Kingsport. He taught at four Bible colleges -- in San Antonio, Texas; Goiânia, Brazil; Brasilia, Brazil; and Piedras Negras, México. He served as a missionary in Brazil 1964-1991. He was adjunct professor of Emmanuel School of Religion at Westwood Christian Foundation, Los Angeles, California. He was involved in Theological Education by Extension (TEE) since 1967. He was director (1975-2012) of Centro de Cultura Cristã (Christian Education Center), teaching and administering TEE in the Portuguese-speaking world: Brazil, Portugal, Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, and Guinea-Bissau, as well as Portuguese-speaking immigrants in the United States. He taught seminary and extension courses in Spanish in Spain, Honduras, and México; and in English in the United States, the Philippines, Burma, Thailand, and Northern Ireland, totalling 52 years of active ministry. He was fluent in Portuguese and taught also in Spanish. He was the author of a book/programmed text, A Igreja do Novo Testamento (The Church of the New Testament) in Portuguese. He was editor (1967-1976) of Christian publications in Portuguese. Translated a book and articles from Spanish to Portuguese; a book, pamphlets, and articles from English to Portuguese; and teaching materials from Portuguese to English and to Spanish. Thomas is preceded in death by his parents, four brothers, Earl Hanson Fife Jr., William Paul Fife, Robert Oldham Fife, and Harold Dean Fife, and one sister, Dorothy May Fife Young. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Elizabeth Anne “Libby” Fife of the home; one sister, Helen Fife Hamilton of Kingsport; four sons: Robert E. Fife and wife Derlani of Portugal; Richard T. Fife-MacDuff of Gray; Thomas J. Fife and wife Érica of Sevier County; Jefferson D. Fife and wife Mônica of São Paulo, Brazil; two daughters: Elena Fife Coelho of Brazil; Elianne Fife Durst and husband Gerald of Gray; and honorary daughter Valdivina Coddington of Gray; thirteen grandchildren: Mayer Fife Coelho of Johnson City; Anna Fife Offshack and husband Jeffrey of Knoxville; Michelle Fife Coelho and significant other Cory Shellmyer of Johnson City; Christianne Fife Figueira and husband Pedro of Portugal; Deborah Fife Lopes and husband Paulo Jorge of Portugal; Jônatas Tolentino Fife and wife Alessandra of Goiânia, Brasil; Mouzer Fife Coelho and wife Cortney of Norfolk; Roger Manhas Fife of São Paulo, Brazil; Patricia Perry and husband Christopher of Gray; Daniel Rodovalho Fife of Sevier County; Latasha Osborn and husband Matthew of Knoxville; Isaac Manhas Fife of São Paulo, Brazil; David Rodovalho Fife of Sevier County; and honorary granddaughter Rebeca Faustino of Gray; thirteen great-grandchildren: Daniel Fife Figueira of Portugal; Joshua Fife Offshack of Knoxville; Andrew Fife Figueira of Portugal; Katarina Fife Figueira of Portugal; Nicole Fife Figueira of Portugal; Gabriel Luìs Fife Lopes of Portugal; Caleb Fife Offshack of Knoxville; Alexandre Fife Lopes of Portugal; Kameron Osborn of Knoxville; Blake Anne Osborn of Knoxville; Reagan Perry of Knoxville; Ryleigh Osborn of Knoxville; and Marcelo Cillo Fife Coelho of Norfolk. The family will gather to share memories with friends on Tuesday, June 30, 2020, from 11:00 am until a celebration of Thomas’s life at 1:00 pm at Colonial Heights Christian Church gym, 105 Meadow Lane, Kingsport, with Pastor David Mullins, minister officiating. A Military Graveside and Committal Ceremony will be held at Monte Vista Memorial Park following the service. Family and friends will serve as pallbearers. This obituary was lovingly written by the family of Mr. Fife. In lieu of flowers, those who desire may make donations to Colonial Heights Christian Church (Missions). Memories and condolences may be shared at www.tetrickfuneralhome.com. Tetrick Funeral Services 3001 Peoples Street Johnson City, TN 37604 (423-610-7171) is honored to serve the Fife Family.