NEWPORT-Funeral services will be conducted tonight at Lincoln Avenue Baptist Church for Ricky Dale Suggs, a well-known Cocke County educator who died suddenly Saturday morning of an apparent heart attack.

Suggs, 54, was at his home with his daughter Haley at the time as the family prepared for her wedding later in the day.

Born March 29, 1958, he was the youngest of four children of Euvena (Byrd) Suggs and the late John Rowe Suggs.

He began his own educational journey at Bridgeport Elementary School, where he completed all eight years of his elementary work.

At Cocke County High School, he was a standout athlete, playing both basketball and baseball. Upon his graduation in 1976, he was awarded a scholarship to play baseball at Tennessee Wesleyan College, where he was a pitcher.

For more details, please see the latest edition of the Newport Plain Talk.