Billy Gene Isom, 90, of Killen passed away peacefully on Monday morning, May 1, at his home following an extended illness surrounded by his loving wife and children.

He was born in Eagleville, Tennessee, on May 9, 1932, the first child of William Edward and Ellen Gertrude Shoemaker Isom. After he joined the Navy in 1949, he completed the courses required to graduate from Eagleville High School. He served his country during the Korean Conflict as a Hospital Corpsman(HM2), Physician Assistant, assigned to the Marines at a mobile army surgical hospital earning the Korean Service Medal with three bronze stars, Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation-Foreign, Navy Combat Action Ribbon, Navy Occupation Service Medal with Asia Clasp, National Defense Service Medal, Japanese Occupation Medal, Navy Good Conduct Medal, and United Nations Ribbon.

Mr. Isom earned BS and MA degrees from Middle Tennessee State University and PhD candidacy from the University of Michigan. He was a high-school chemistry teacher and biologist with the Tennessee Stream and Pollution Board. He worked at the Tennessee Valley Authority in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Muscle Shoals, Alabama, retiring as Program Manager for Aquatic Environmental Research. While employed with TVA, he developed and patented (with Dr. Robert Hudson) an in vitro medium for culturing freshwater mussels in the laboratory which has application to conservation of endangered mussels. Following retirement from TVA, he was employed by Eckenfelder, Inc., as Director of Ecology and Aquatic Toxicology and Woodward-Clyde as Director of Environmental Toxicology. He also worked as a self-employed environmental consultant on several local bridge projects regarding endangered species issues. For many years he served on the Killen Library Board and Killen Planning Commission and was a dedicated longtime volunteer in the Friends of the Killen Library. He was an avid collector of antique books and prints. The Tennessee Valley Museum of Art and Kennedy-Douglas Museum exhibited his print collections on many occasions. He enjoyed fishing and gardening and often grew enough blueberries to share with friends and family.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Mary Jane McDonald. He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Wanda Scott Isom; his son, Paul Edward Isom (DeAnna), Knoxville, Tennessee; son, William Phillip Isom, Marshfield, VT; daughter, E. Lou Isom (Rhonda), North Yarmouth, Maine; sister, Helen Kizer, Bartlett, Tennessee; five grandchildren; ten great grandchildren; and fifteen nieces and nephews.

The family thanks the staff of J. W. Sommer Rehabilitation Unit, ElderCare Services, and SouthernCare New Beacon Hospice, with a very special thanks to nurse Paris for her kindness and benevolence.

Donations can be made to the Friends of the Killen Library, Tennessee Valley Museum of Art, or Kennedy-Douglas Museum.

A memorial service will be October 8, 2023, at Tennessee Valley Museum of Art. He was interred at Tri-Cities Memorial Gardens. Elkins East Chapel is assisting the family.

You are invited to leave condolences at www.elkinsfuneralhome.com .