PUBLISHER
The Bingham Group
President
Lisa Atkins Bingham
Art Director
Brett Hawkins
Graphic Designer
Ashley Singleton
Brett Hawkins
Lisa Atkins Bingham
Contributing Writers
Amanda Howerton
Blaina Tallent Best
CeCe Owens
Gayle Fisher
Jennifer Porterfield
Contributing Photographers
Brett Hawkins
D.L. Productions
Robert Burleson
Advertising Sales
Mignonne Alman
Tel: 865.523.5999
mignonne@binghamgroup.com
Chris McLaren
Tel: 865.523.5999
chris@binghamgroup.com
Subscription or Editorial Inquiries
Tel: 865.523.5999
www.monroelife.com
The Bingham Group, Inc.
11921 Kingston Pike, Suite 201
Knoxville, Tennessee 37934
www.binghamgroup.com
www.monroelife.com
Lett er From The Publisher
Mignonne and Jack Alman
The Bingham Group at Brushy
Mountain State Penitentiary,
CeCe Owens and Lisa Bingham
in James Earl Ray's Cell!
I want to close my letter by sharing about another special person, Jack Alman, he wrote many
stories for us, considered himself my personal driver and would jump on his motorcycle to
run packages anywhere needed, anytime. He was about giving back, he served as a SCAN
volunteer, was a part of Rolling Thunder, played the bugle at countless funerals and was a proud
U.S. Army Veteran. At 75, he beat cancer, had two brain surgeries and lived the next 6 years to the
fullest with the love of his life, Mignonne. We Salute & Miss You Jack!
There are so many wonderful stories in this issue of Monroe Life, enjoy each one and get out
this summer, make some memories, have fun and enjoy time with loved ones. Wishing you a
spectacular summer!
Lisa Atkins-Bingham
President of The Bingham Group,
Publisher of Farragut, Monroe & McMinn Life Magazines
Life
Summer has arrived with it’s usual school break, hot temperatures and days at the pool. These
are the childhood memories that I cherish, there is something special about being in school
with someone for 12 years—summers of your life. There were only 90 of us in the Madisonville
Graduating Class of 1980, we went to Hiwassee’s Barker Learning Center for the commencement
ceremony and two years later, a lot of us would again gather in that same place
to graduate from Hiwassee College. Lifelong friendships are special, they are
priceless when that friend is Lee Grant Johnson. Lee and I worked as lifeguards
at the Madisonville pool, his mother “Dude” ran the pool during the summer,
she was a Junior High School secretary during the school year. Lee was a special
person, a precious friend, and the life of our class. He will be remembered for
always being happy, I never saw him when he wasn’t smiling. What you may not
know is his humility - Lee was a member of The Old Guard, a prestigious division
of the US Army. Lee was chosen by and served under President Ronald Reagan.
His family will tell you that Reagan knew him by name! I wanted to honor him
by sharing about my lifelong friend in this issue, Lee received his ultimate healing
from cancer, our class will never, ever be the same. We will always miss him!
Memories are precious, I have a lifetime of them on the campus of
Hiwassee College. From events to education to fundraisers. We share
the heartbreak of this historical place closing, but unite in hope that
something wonderful will take up residence on the beautiful grounds.
Many thanks to Dr. Robin Tricoli of Hiwassee and Dr. Harley Knowles of
Tennessee Wesleyan for their continued work to ease this transition for all.
In this issue, we share about traveling Back to Brushy Mountain and
experiencing the re-opening of the prison as a tourist attraction. I highly
recommend visiting and touring the infamous facility, which is guided by
former prison guards and even former inmates. We also give you plenty of
festivals and destinations for a summer packed with fun.
8 MONROE LIFE SUMMER 2019
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