Clarice Fluce Obituary

Clarice Marie Fluce

KINGSPORT - Clarice Marie Fluce, 102, of Kingsport, has been called to her home in Heaven and is resting in the arms of Jesus.

She was the youngest of 13 children born to Robert Tilden Starnes and Ida Bell Taylor Starnes. She grew up on a farm in Hill Station VA, helping out with the gardening and helping her mother with chores around the house. Her mother Ida was an excellent cook and taught her how to cook and prepare meals from scratch, a talent she would continue up until just a little while before becoming ill. In her spare time on the farm, she would sew for a lady to earn money to buy candy at the local general store and sometimes the money was used to buy train tickets to go to Kingsport for the day or to Elkhorn City, KY to visit her brothers, Herbert and Elbert. Growing up as a young girl she attended Rivermont Baptist Church at Hill Station where her father often held the services. She was a believer in Christ and accepted Him as her Lord and Savior many years ago.

In the 1940's, as a young woman, she got a job working at Eastman in the Yarn Plant and would get up very early to catch a bus from Hill Station to Eastman. With her first few paychecks, she had electricity installed in the house where her parents lived. She worked at Eastman for approximately 7 years.

After that she worked in the cafeteria at Holston Valley Community Hospital preparing meals for the patients. Then she decided to become a beautician and went to beauty school in downtown Kingsport. After beauty school, she traveled to Nashville and tested for and received her beautician's license. Her first job as a beautician was with Mertle Weidner's beauty shop, downtown Kingsport, and later at a beauty shop located on Fort Henry Drive near Brooks Circle.

She loved gardening, canning, and preparing wonderful country meals. Her cooking skills were legendary. She always prepared a feast for those visiting her. Her heart and home were always open to those who needed a place to stay. She especially enjoyed having her grandchildren spend the night with her and would always provide them with pizza, laughs, and warm hugs. She spent most of her life caring for others and was a loving daughter and caregiver for her mother, who lived to be 108 years old. She was a devoted wife of 36 years and a caring mother of two sons. She was a beloved Grandmother and Great Grandmother and will dearly be missed.

She was preceded in death by her husband, John Mitchell Fluce, her parents, Robert Tilden Starnes and Ida Bell Taylor Starnes, and brothers and sisters Willie Starnes, Herbert C. Starnes, Minnie E. Starnes Darnell, Bessie Starnes, Elbert Starnes, Patrick H. Starnes, Lakie E. Starnes Bray, Nannie Starnes, Clyde Starnes, Garland E. Starnes, Warren G. Starnes, and Gladys Starnes.

Those left to cherish her memory are her sons, John Fluce Jr. and wife, Dee, Don Fluce and wife, Cindy; grandchildren, Samantha Rowlett and husband, Bart, John Fluce III and wife, Lily, Stephanie Weinhold and husband, David, Elliot Fluce and Jaime, and Jeremy Fluce; great-grandchildren, Clark River Fluce, Evie Weinhold, and Owen Weinhold; several special nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends Friday, November 22, 2024, 12:00-2:00 pm in the funeral home chapel.

The Funeral Service will begin at 2:00 pm with Bob Underwood, minister officiating.

Graveside Service will follow at 3:00 pm at Oak Hill Memorial Park in Section W. Grandsons will serve as pallbearers.

The family would like to extend their special thanks to her caregivers, Corey Flowers and Maggie Hicks and Amedisys Hospice, nurses Amanda Bradley and Laura Stanley.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Morrison City Christian Church, 1940 Darnell Drive, Kingsport TN, 37665.

To share memories and condolences with the family please visit www.oakhillfh.com

The care of Clarice Marie Fluce and her family has been entrusted to the staff of Oak Hill Funeral & Cremation Services.