Theodore Douglas "Buddy" Mahan

Theodore Douglas “Buddy” Mahan, age 82, passed away on October 29, 2024 at Tenova Medical Center in Newport, TN.  He was born in Weeksbury, Kentucky on June 9, 1942; to the late Ted and Mary Mahan.

Buddy grew up with his parents and two sisters in coal mining towns, Weeksbury and McRoberts, in eastern Kentucky, where his father was a coal miner throughout his childhood.  The family lived in company housing and shopped at the company stores, all owned and operated by the coal mines.  This was during the era where coal miners would often strike for the need of fair wages and conditions, made famous by Loretta Lynn’s song “Coal Miner’s Daughter”.   After his father stopped coal mining, the family moved to Huntington West Virginia to be closer to his mother’s parents and lived there briefly before finally relocating to Jacksonville Beach Florida when Buddy was 16 years old.  In Jacksonville is where Buddy met the love of his life, Dale Marie Newton.   Buddy and Dale were married in 1971 and joyfully adopted their daughter Stacy in 1976 at age 4 months.   

Buddy’s older sister Betty Ray Mills, age 90 and his younger sister Jeannine Lee Marchio, age 79 are both still living.  His sisters describe Buddy as a rascal growing up, who loved to play tricks on them.

Buddy worked at Fruehauf Trailer Company until 1978 as a trailer body mechanic and then worked at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in maintenance for 14 years and part time at the Mosquito Control in Jacksonville Florida as a night dispatcher until he retired.  In his spare time, he loved fishing and was very active in the LDS church, Dunn Ave ward.  He and Dale often hosted gatherings at their home and oyster roasts with friends.  Buddy was also very active with the Boy Scouts of America and loved mentoring and helping youth.  He was a devoted father who taught his daughter the values of hard work and preparedness.  He was loving and social.  Anyone who knew Buddy would recollect on his gift of gab, his funny jokes- which he loved to tell regularly, and his overall way of tackling life with humor.  Buddy was a giver.  He’d do anything to help someone in need. 

In 2004 Buddy and Dale moved to Del Rio TN and have remained there happily in “his” Smokey Mountains surrounded by wonderful friends and neighbors.  While living in TN, he was a regular visitor to Hillbilly’s Music Barn, where he listened to Bluegrass and danced with his wife almost every Saturday night while his health allowed for it.  Buddy was very proud of his hillbilly roots and his famous Aunt- Molly O’Day. 

In addition to his sisters, Buddy is survived by his wife Dale Mahan, his daughter Stacy Summerlin, son in law Keith Summerlin, three grandchildren- Ashleigh, Haley, and Triston, two nieces and a nephew, and many cousins. He is predeceased by his nephew, Greg, and brother-in-law, George.    

The family would like to extend a special thank you to all the nurses and staff at Jefferson Park in White Pines and Tenova Medical Center as well as the physicians who cared for him over the years and their staff, during his long-time battle with heart disease.  Their kindness and compassionate care for Buddy will never be forgotten.

A memorial service for Buddy will be held at the LDS Church in Newport TN on Saturday November 9, 2024 at 11am followed by a gathering of close family and friends at their home in Del Rio. 

Family and Friends may sign the online register book and post condolences at

www.resthavenmemorialgardens.com

Services provided by Resthaven Funeral Home-Cemetery-Cremations.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Theodore Douglas "Buddy" Mahan, please visit our floral store.