Emerson Alford Meggs

Emerson Alford Meggs, age 91, and long-time resident of Adams, Tennessee, passed away Tuesday, August 21, 2012 at Morningside of Springfield. A memorial service will be held Friday, August 24, 2012 at 2pm at the Adams Methodist Church with Reverend Randy Mutter officiating. Burial will follow in the Bellwood Cemetery with the Fellowship Sunday School Class serving as Honorary pallbearers. Visitation with the family will be held at the Austin & Bell Funeral Home in Springfield on Thursday, August 23, 2012 from 4-7:30pm and at the church on Friday one hour prior to the service. Mr. Meggs was born March 19, 1921 in Escambia County, Florida to the late L.L. and Pearl Alford Meggs. When he was 15 years old he and his family moved to Adams where in 1938 he graduated from Bell High School. In the early 1950’s Mr. Meggs graduated from the John Gupton School of Mortuary Science in Nashville which began a career spanning more than 30 years as owner and operator of Meggs Funeral Home in Adams. He was a member of the Adams United Methodist Church where he served as member and past chairman of the Administrative Board, Sunday School Teacher, and Chairman of the Church Building Committee during new construction in 1970. Mr. Meggs’ name has been well-known throughout Robertson County for decades as he received recognition for having served 25 years as Director of the Adams Annual Fourth of July Picnic in 1971. He also served as City Recorder for the City of Adams from 1963 to 1973, served on the Adams City Commission from 1967 to 1971, member of the first Robertson County Library Board, former member and Chairman of the Robertson County Highway Commission, former member of the Robertson County Court and Budget Committee, member and Director of the Springfield-Robertson County Chamber of Commerce, past PTA president, past member of the Robertson County Historical Society and cancer survivor since 1994. Mr. Meggs served as the Robertson County Executive from 1982 to 1994, during which time NorthCrest hospital, county jail and National Guard Building were approved. Electronic voting machines, the county road mapping system, building and zoning codes revisions, state health insurance for county employees, an emergency medical system, and 911 communications system was implemented during his term in office. Tribute was paid to him on September 19, 1994 in the House of Representatives, Congressional Record Volume 140 upon the completion with distinction of his service as the Robertson County Executive. More recently Mr. Meggs was a member of the Springfield Rotary Club and was named Springfield Rotarian of the Year in 2001. He was a past President of the Adams Cemetery Association and organizer of its Trust Fund, served on the Adams Cemetery Association Advisory Board, was Trustee of Bellwood Cemetery and Trustee of Bell-Willett Charitable Foundation, was Executive Secretary of the Tennessee-Kentucky Threshermen’s Association, served on the United Way Board, served on the Board of Directors of the City of Adams Museum, Archives and Library, and in 2004 was selected as a Person of Character by the Robertson County Times. Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Margaret Fort Meggs; children, Emerson Fort Meggs of Knoxville and John Alford (Linda Odom) Meggs of Charlottsville, VA; daughter, Margaret Lee (Mark Seifferd) Meggs of Havre, MT; brothers, Wendell Anderson Meggs of Springfield and Ural Edward “Ed” (Juanita) Meggs of Wilmington, DE; brother-in-law, John (Elizabeth) Fort of Springfield; sister-in-law, Evelyn Fort of Nashville; and grandchildren, Dylan Fort Meggs, Lillian Amelia Odom Meggs, Eric Konstantin Odom Meggs and Carrie Claire Meggs. The family requests memorial contributions be made to the Robertson County Archives or to the Robertson County Historical Society. Austin & Bell Funeral Home in Springfield is in charge of these arrangements. AUSTIN & BELL FUNERAL HOME- 509 WALNUT STREET, SPRINGFIELD, TN (615) 384-1000

Emerson Alford Meggs

March 19, 1921 - August 21, 2012