Luther McKinley

Rouse

Luther McKinley Rouse, 83, of Elizabethton, went to be with his Lord and Savior on Monday, November 09, 2026, after a brief illness.

Luther was born in Elizabethton, Tn on September 07, 1943 to Mattie Geneva Webb Rouse and James Lloyd Rouse. He was a graduate of Hampton High School, where he played football and basketball, and lettered in track. He spent many years coaching youth league baseball and basketball. Luther had a long career in the Carter County School System, where he worked as a school bus driver and a janitor at Valley Forge Elementary School. He had also been employed by the Elizabethton Alliance for Business and Training, North American Rayon, and Magnavox. He was a member of Chinquapin Grove Baptist Church

Luther was preceded in death by his sisters-in-law, Betty Teague Timbs, Shelby Jean Hardin, Corrine Morton, Thelma Teague, Brothers-In-Law: Bill Teague and Jerry Emmert Niece Vanessa Stevens Reine, Sister Phyllis Rouse Emmert, brothers Wayne Rouse and John Rouse, and his great grandsons, Lucas Brown and Ethan Brown.

Those left to love and cherish Luther on Earth are his beloved wife of 64 years, Thelma Teague Rouse, sons Keith Rouse (Vanessa), Chad Rouse (Yasmin), daughters Kimberly Payne (Kenny), Christi Deloach (David); grandchildren Jeremy Rouse (Rebekah), Jessica Rouse Smith, Jordon Mitchell (Ashton Slagle), Tabitha Ebbert (Troy), Jeremy Musick (Hannah) and Morgan Payne (Rachel). He is also survived by his great grandchildren Emily Norton, Halee Brown, Carolina Smith, Daxton Payne, Wyatt Ebbert, Molly Ebbert, Josie Ebbert, Will Bradley and Isaacc Bradley, as well as great great grandsons Elijah Norton and Grayson Norton. He leaves behind special friends Elwood and Beulah Duvall, Kevin Ward, Tommy and Kathy Jenkins, Dennis Berry and Wade Lockner, as well as his faithful furbaby, Holly and granddogs Sailor, Skye, Bandit, Murphy and Minnie. He leaves behind his sisters-in-law Janet Rouse, Dicie Rouse, Lily Mae Stevens and Martha Lou Forbes, brothers James Rouse and Bob Rouse (Pansy). Brother-in-law Houston Timbs , special “Niece”, Sydney Miller and seveal other nieces and nephews.

Graveside Service will be conducted at 2 p.m. Friday, November 13, 2026 in Happy Valley Memorial Park with the following ministers officiating: Rusty Verran, James Bentley, Scott Greene and Jamie Ferguson. Active Pallbearers will be: Jordon Mitchell, Jeremy Rouse, Jeremy Musick, David Deloach, Kenny Payne and Kevin Ward. The family would like to express a special thank you to the Chinquapin Grove Baptist Church and Union Baptist Church for the prayers and support that was shown to the family. Family and friends will assemble at the funeral home at 1:20 p.m. Friday to go in procession to the cemetery. Condolences may be sent to the family at our web-site www.memorialfcelizabethton.com.

Memorial Funeral Chapel is serving the Rouse family