DR. LARRY PROFFITT
November 27, 1943 – June 20, 2026
Isaiah 40:31 in the New International Version (NIV)
“but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
Dr. Larry Proffitt, age 82, of Elizabethton, Tennessee, went home to be with the Lord on Saturday, June 20, 2026, at the Johnson City Medical Center following a lengthy illness with Parkinson’s disease.
Born in Bluff City, Tennessee, on November 27, 1943, Larry was the son of the late Jim and Grace Proffitt. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his only brother, Terry Proffitt.
Larry was a 1969 graduate of the University of Tennessee School of Pharmacy in Memphis and devoted his life to serving his community. He owned and operated Burgie Drug Store in Elizabethton from 1975 until his retirement and was also the second-generation owner of Ridgewood Barbecue in Elizabethton.
A faithful Christian, Larry was a member of Memorial Presbyterian Church, where he served as both an elder and a deacon. He was an avid hunter and especially enjoyed wild turkey hunting. Larry was a respected member of the National Wild Turkey Federation and authored the best-selling book, ‘Letters to My Grandsons,’ published in 2018.
Larry’s greatest joy was his family. He is survived by his loving wife of 60 years, Norma Proffitt; two devoted daughters, Lisa Paige Peters and Rebecca Lea Wilkins and husband, Chuck; grandchildren Jacob Peters (Cassidy), Amanda Peters Andrews (Craig), Casey Wilkins and Matthew Wilkins; a niece, Julie Proffitt Buchanan; and several other nieces and nephews.
The family will receive friends between the hours of 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM on Sunday, June 28, 2026 in the Chapel of Peace at Tetrick Funeral Home of Elizabethton.
The graveside service will be conducted at 10:00 Am on Monday, June 29, 2026, at Happy Valley Memorial Park with Reverend Tim Mindemann officiating. Music will be provided by Jon Shell. Active pallbearers will be selected from family and friends. Honorary pallbearers will be Steve Hubbard, Joe Munsey, Tyler Hyder, Mike Matthews, Dr. Craig Matherne, Dr. Harold Allison, and Dr. Steven May. Those wishing to attend the graveside service are asked to meet at the cemetery at 9:50 AM on Monday.
Those who prefer memorials in lieu of flowers may make donations to Memorial Presbyterian Church, 100 East F Street, Elizabethton, TN 37643 or to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tn 38105 or by visiting their website at www.stjude.org.
Words of comfort may be shared with the family by visiting our website at www.tetrickfuneralhome.com. Tetrick Funeral Home of Elizabethton is honored to serve the Proffitt family. Office phone: (423) 542-2232.
Larry first started reading Blind Pig & the Acorn back in 2010. I always enjoyed his comments. Here’s some of my favorites.
- Tipper, I didn’t know I talked funny until 1961 at my freshman year at UT in Knoxville until I made friends with some young men from Indiana. I often wondered where these words come from that I learned from my parents and grandparents. One particular phrase lately that another friend noticed was “I am going a hunting.” I study and memorize from the King James. One day I was reading and read that “Peter and John went A fishing.” Voila, a light came on for me. Since so many of our ancestors were Scotch-Irish my thesis is that many of our colloquialisms come from the Bible they used. Looking in Strong’s concordance for the usage of World and Worldly I estimate no less than 200 times where world is used therein. One particular use of worldly is found in Titus 2-12. We mountain folks obviously learned from our parents and their parents before the days of TV. It is an interesting search. Thanks for your work. Our family enjoys it.
- That’s a wasper Tipper, don’t let them fool you, ask Pap.
- Tipper, We use these phrases commonly here in east tennessee. Also some years ago an old friend who grew up and lived his life in Enid, Oklahoma waxed poetic one evening on one of our fall turkey hunts, and told me “I guess you thought I was mighty STAND OFFISH at first but a man’s got to be careful there’s a lot of dadburned fools out there. I told him that the Okies were like us mountain folks who keep strangers at a long arms length until we see what they will do and what they won’t do.
- Tipper, I often lose right hand gloves in the woods. They are camo so seldom are they seen again. This past spring I lost my favorite pocket knife that has butchered a multitude of wild turkeys for Norma’s big black skillet as well as other things old men do with pocket knives. It had been gone for over 6 months. One morning I pulled a different pair of boots from under the edge of the table where I lay my pocket hunting items. I stuck my foot in the right boot and felt a strange object. There it was. What a warm feeling like meeting an old friend from years ago. I had obviously knocked the knife off the edge of the table in haste. Probably in the morning at 3 AM before the tank of coffee had awakened me sufficiently. I am more careful with that ancient old friend now but I still have an abundance of left hand gloves.
- Tipper Just wait till you get grandchildren they make grandparents PLUMB silly.
- My granny USED tobacco as they often said. She kept a little green twig frayed on the business end and stuck it in the can of Bruton snuff. She also USED DAYS WORK plug tobacco. It smelled so good. She would cut off a luttle piece about the size of half of a dime and hold it in her mouth. I never remember her spitting. On Sundays after dinner she would cover the table with a pretty table cloth and leave the food on the table for an early supper. All the grown-ups would go sit on the front porch in the summer. That Days Work smelled so good to a 6 or 7 yr old. One afternoon I slipped in the back door, got the little paring knife she used, reached in the cupboard and got the plug of tobacco and cut off the appropriate size chew that she used. Silently I put everything back in place and slipped back out the door. I hurried out behind the smoke house and went to chewing on that fine smelling stuff. You know of course the rest of the story. The chew was hot, strong and any other foul word you can think of. Yep, I gagged some, spit it out and hurried to water bucket and dipper. I was cured of any desire for tobacco.
- Tipper, Thanks for your time and devotion to share with us. The Blind Pig is my first order of the day.
Larry was a true friend of Blind Pig & the Acorn. I will miss his insightful comments.
Last night’s video: Boiled Chocolate Icing Like Granny Made.
Tipper
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