Lyons Alexander Hamblen, 86, of Hendersonville, passed away on June 10, 2009 after a brief illness.

A native of Hawkins County,  Mr. Hamblen grew up in Surgoinsville. He was the youngest son of Charles and Flora Johnson Hamblen. He was also preceded in death by three brothers, Charles H. Jr., Dana Harmon and J. Fred Hamblen.

He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Muriel Bennett Hamblen; one daughter, Carole H. Fowler and her husband, George, of Wayne, PA and Singapore; one son, Lyons Alexander Hamblen, Jr. and his wife, Elva of Morristown,  and three grandchildren, Alexander Hamblen Fowler, Julielle Alexandria Hamblen and Lyons Alexander Hamblen, III.

Drafted during his sophomore year in college, Mr. Hamblen served in the US Army's 35th Infantry division, the "Santa Fe". During WWII, he saw combat in the European Theater, fighting in the Battle of the Bulge. He was awarded five battle stars, a Certificate of Merit and the Bronze Star.

Following V-E Day, Mr. Hamblen was a catcher for his division's baseball team, the Santa Fe Indians, playing in Koblenz, Germany, where he was a teammate and competitor of several major league players.  After the war, he graduated from Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City, TN with a degree in economics. He devoted his life to public service in Rogersville, TN, serving as County Trustee, Magistrate of the Hawkins County Court, Chairman of the Hawkins County Republican Party, Rogersville City School Board and Rogersville Housing Authority. He was an officer of Citizens Union Bank, from which he retired in 1987 after 30 years of service.

Mr. Hamblen was a 32nd degree Mason, a member of the Jericho Shrine Temple and Scottish Rites. He was a past Commander of the American Legion Post 21 in Rogersville and a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

For more than fifty years, he was a member of Kiwanis International, serving as Lt. Governor of the TN/KY Division. Most recently, he belonged to the Asheville Golden "K" Club after retiring in Western North Carolina.

In April of this year, Mr. Hamblen was named a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor by the President of The Republic of France, indicative of "France's true and unforgettable gratitude and appreciation" for "personal and precious contribution to the United States' decisive role in the liberation of our country".

A lifetime Baptist, Mr. Hamblen was a member of Providence Baptist Church in Hendersonville.

The family wishes to express grateful appreciation to Dr. J. Robert Anderson and staff for their compassionate care of Mr. Hamblen in his latter years.

The family will receive friends on Monday, June 15, 2009 from 7:00-8:00 PM at Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian in Arden, NC.

A private committal service will be held at the Western Carolina State Veterans Cemetery with the Reverend J. Gail Coulter officiating.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to the Western North Carolina Veterans Memorial, PO Box 2854, Asheville, NC 28802.