Roy "Big Ed" Dempsey

Roy “Big Ed” Dempsey of Simpsonville, SC ran into the arms of his savior on Monday April 28th, 2025, after a brief illness. Born in Kingsport, TN on July 13th, 1934, to Roy and Lucile Dempsey, he received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

He loved farming and told his family that one of his fondest memories was being behind a team of mules tilling the garden. Ed was a safety engineer at Tennessee Eastman Kodak for 29 years. He loved his family with a passion and said that he had the best life that any human had ever had on the earth.

Ed is survived by his precious wife, Linda Dempsey; their children, Suzann Hobbs and Elizabeth Hurd; grandchildren, Hunter Ennis (Meghan), Tyler Ennis, and Jacob Hurd (Sarah); and great-grandchildren, Madelyn Ennis and Harper Ennis.

The graveside service will be held on Friday, May 2nd at 1:00 pm at Oak Hill Memorial Park in Kingsport, TN with Senior Pastor Josh Martin officiating.

In lieu flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Touched By ALS (touchedbyals.org).