James "Carl" Pirkle, Jr.

James "Carl" Pirkle, Jr., age 81, of Clarksville, passed away Monday, October 28, 2019, at Tennova Healthcare.

Carl was born June 2, 1938, in Atlanta, GA, to the late James Carl Pirkle, Sr. and Doris Burton Pirkle. 

He earned his doctorate in Chemical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and completed a post-doctoral fellowship in Biomedical Engineering from Johns Hopkins Medical School.  Dr. Pirkle worked primarily in the Energy Industry and spent many years in academia, most recently as a consultant at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  Carl was a member of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Clarksville.

Funeral Mass will be held Saturday, at 11:00 AM, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, with Father Rick Childress officiating. Visitation will be Friday, November 1, from 5:00 to 6:00 PM, at Neal-Tarpley-Parchman Funeral Home, and Saturday, November 2, from 10:00 AM until the hour of service, at the church. Burial will take place at a later date, in Pelham, GA.

Carl is survived by his wife of 44 years, Sheila Pirkle; three sons, James (Nancy) Greenwood of Arlington, VA, Joseph (Jennifer) Greenwood of Washington, NJ, and David (Tiffany) Greenwood of Clarksville, TN; two daughters, Lavane (Gary) Herman of Burlington, NC and Sarah (Daniel) Hammer of Chapel Hill, NC; two sisters, Sandra Scarborough of Foley, AL and Beverly Ferrell of Moultrie, GA; eight grandchildren, Lauren (Brad) Bell, Courtney Greenwood, Jennifer (Russell) Haigler, Thomas (Tannah) Greenwood, Matthew (Jordan) Greenwood, Charles Greenwood, Charlotte Greenwood, and Elsie Greenwood; and one great grandson, Nolan Greenwood. 

Arrangements are entrusted to Neal-Tarpley-Parchman Funeral Home, 1510 Madison Street, Clarksville, TN 37040; (931) 645-6488. Online condolences may be made at www.nealtarpleyparchman.com. 

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