William "Bill" Reed JerniganKnoxville, TNWilliam R. ("Bill") Jernigan,-age 75, of Knoxville, passed away November 10, 2016, at the Ben Atchley Veterans Home, of complications from cancer. Mr. Jernigan was born on November 22, 1940, to the late William G. and Sara Johnston Jernigan. The family lived in Spring City, Tenn. at that time, where his father was employed by TVA. Bill was the first grandchild of longtime Oak Ridge residents William and Ethel Cook Jernigan. A sister, Rebecca Jernigan, predeceased him.Bill is survived by two aunts, Charlotte Jernigan Keathley and Helen Jernigan, both of Oak Ridge, and by ten first cousins who all have stories about Cousin Bill. They are Dolores Jernigan Tipton, Charlotte Keathley Molloy, Mary Jernigan Wool, Michael Jernigan, Terry Keathley, Hal Jernigan, Guy Jernigan, Ken Jernigan, Jr., John Fairstein, and Joel Fairstein. There are second cousins, as well, who thought that he was an amazing guy. The family is grateful to Bill's close friends who helped him in recent years: Ardyce Lee, of Oak Ridge, Milton Limonchi, of Knoxville, Jim and Abby Campbell, of Indiana, and Joe Lambert, of San Antonio.There are many other friends; Bill never met a stranger. The family also appreciates the care given him by the staff at Ben Atchley. Bill's father was a pharmaceutical "traveling salesman," and the family lived in many U.S. locations when he was growing up, including Caney Creek near Spring City, Tenn., Brownsville, Tex., Chicago, New Orleans, and New York City. Bill attended high school and college in Chicago, where he studied business and foreign trade. Bill joined the U.S. Army during the war in Viet Nam and received further extensive training in foreign languages, becoming an interpreter. After three years of service, when the war was over, he was honorably discharged, with the ability to speak five languages and special recognition for marksmanship. After travelling widely in Middle Eastern and Asian countries, Bill returned to Chicago, working as a sales and support person for an industrial equipment manufacturer. At some point, he was transferred to the company's Mexican office, because he was fluent in Spanish, and remained in Mexico for several years. Eventually, Bill rejoined his father, who had retired following Sara's death and was living near Oak Ridge. Bill had a wonderful speaking voice and got a job working for radio station WATO in Oak Ridge. Computers were just coming available, and he also became a computer salesman, going door-to-door to businesses and convincing them that they needed a computer. After returning to East Tennessee, Bill's last and perhaps the job he most enjoyed was with PETsafe, in Knoxville, where he was employed as an interpreter and customer service representative. He loved animals, and kept dogs with him in his cubicle. He retired in 2010. Bill enjoyed classical music, story-telling, humor, and was a gourmet cook. Online, he met Jim Campbell, a fireman in Indiana, who with his wife Abby, ran a small hot pepper company. Jim leased half an acre from a local farmer to grow peppers for his sauces. One year, he had a surplus of peppers, and rather than let them go to waste, invited all his friends to come and glean all they wanted, for free. Bill, in turn, invited his friends, and this "Open Fields" event continues to this day. Bill attended every year, until his health declined. Bill Jernigan will be memorialized in the shared remembering of this remarkable man. Contributions in his memory may be given to the animal or human welfare .