Sullivan commission honors the late John McLellan and Donald Gonce

BLOUNTVILLE — The Sullivan County Commission unanimously voted to honor two late residents, one a longtime judge and county attorney who will have a courthouse expansion named for him, and the other a civic club founder, church founder and servant in the Indian Springs community. The 24-member commission Thursday night voted 23-0 with one absent to name the new courthouse expansion at the Sullivan County Justice Center in Kingsport for John S. McLellan III, a resolution presented by District 9 Commissioner Joe McMurray of Kingsport. McMurray recalled that McLellan swore him in as a commissioner the first time. McLellan died Feb. 11, but his obituary wasn't published until March. "Just honoring a pillar of our community" was how McMurray explained the resolution, put together at the 11th hour this week so the proposal could then go before the Kingsport Board of Mayor and Aldermen for a vote. "He actually swore me in" as a commissioner, McMurray recalled of McLellan, a Circuit Court judge for 30 years, part-time county attorney while in private practice for 10 years and active in the American Trial Lawyers Association. McMurray is an attorney. Among those in the crowd were his secretary of 45 years, Jill Cookenour, and current judges. McMurray said since the new courthouse section of the justice center is well under way, the renaming sign must be designed and ordered soon. McLellan was 80 and graduated from Dobyns-Bennett High School and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. "It's good to see that we're honoring pillars of our community tonight," District 7 Commissioner Travis Ward of the Kingsport area said. By the same 23-0 with one absent margin, with Commissioner Barry Hopper of Bristol not in attendance, the commission also voted to approve a resolution naming the Petty John Road Bridge in the Indian Springs community just east of Kingsport in honor of Don Gonce, who died May 8, 2022. Mike Gonce, one of two sons of Dee and Don Gonce, once served as a county commissioner representing Indian Springs. District 6 Commissioner Jessica Means of Kingsport sponsored the Gonce resolution, which honored the late Indian Springs resident who founded the Indian Springs Optimist Club, Indian Springs Christian Church and served as a lance corporal in the Marine Corps. Last month, the commission did not approve the Means resolution after District 7 Commissioner Sam Jones of Colonial Heights said Gonce was worthy of honor but said most if not all bridges are dedicated for military or law enforcement members who lost their lives while on duty. However, Jones and all other present commissioners voted for the measure. Matthew Johnson, a former commissioner and director of tourism and archives for Sullivan County running for the District 6 commission set again in the May Republican primary and August general election, urged the commission to name the bridge for Gonce, adding that a friend of his, Jack Blevins, has a bridge under state Route 75 named for him but was a veteran who did not die while in the service. "He waged peace in the county," said the Rev. Mike Beverly, senior pastor of Indian Springs Christian. "Name the bridge after him," Beverly said. "It won't hurt anything to do this."