John Burton Seamens

John Burton Seamens passed away July 20th in Lakeland, Florida after a brave fight against lung cancer. John was born in Cory, Pennsylvania on August 15, 1939 and was raised in Knoxville, Tennessee. John attended Pleasant Ridge School and then Bearden High School where he was a member of the drama club and football team. His bright smile and wonderful sense of humor contributed to his popularity amongst his friends, many of whom still gather regularly in Tennessee. His college career began at Warren Wilson College near Asheville, N.C. and continued at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City where he received a degree in Speech Language Pathology. John returned home to Big Orange Country to attend the University of Tennessee where he received a Masters Degree in Audiology and became a member of the faculty in the Hearing and Speech Department. A true VOL, John frequently returned to Knoxville to visit family and friends, support the ongoing work at the UT Hearing and Speech Center, and root for the Vols. John moved his family to Lakeland, Florida in 1965 to become the first Director at the Central Florida Speech & Hearing Center. He was also the first Audiologist, one of only five in Florida! John developed many programs in Lakeland and one he was most passionate about was helping parents with deaf babies. There were no services for deaf children in Polk County and he was able to test these babies, fit them with hearing aids and provide therapy in the early 1970""s. John spent the next 25 years working for Unitron Industries as District Manager and Hearing Specialist where he provided hearing aid support for hundreds of practicing Audiologists and valuable products and services to thousands of patients across the Southeast. After retiring from Unitron, he still had the innate desire to help persons with a hearing loss. He opened a private practice in 2007 as owner of Ocala Hearing Center, Inc. in Ocala, Florida for seven years. Throughout his career, John lent his expertise to students first as a faculty member at the University of Tennessee and later through adjunct professor positions at Florida Southern College and the University of South Florida. He was active in several professional organization including the Florida Language, Audiology and Speech Pathology Association, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and the Southern Audiological Society which awarded him ""Southern Audiologist of the Year"". He was also a member of the Lakeland Rotary Club and Sigma Alpha Epsilon. When not pursing his work passions, John could often be found pursuing his passion of golf. An avid golfer since college, he made two trips of a lifetime; attended the Masters and played the Old Course at St. Andrews. John cherished his family. He is preceded in death by his parents Joan Place Seamens and John Wesley Seamens, and brothers Jan and Joe Seamens. He is survived by his beloved wife. L. Gay Ratcliff Seamens (Lakeland, FL), daughter Tracie Seamens Bagans (Ft Myers, FL) son John Scott Seamens (Kimm), (Debary, FL), brother Tom Seamens (Knoxville, TN); grandchildren Courtney Bagans, John Scott Seamens II, and Jackson Seamens; nephews Micha Seamens (Elsa) and J.W. Seamens (Robin) and nieces Judy Edgar (Greg) and Carol Caroll (Robert) as well as many other family members and friends who he thought of as family. In lieu of flowers, the family requests gifts be made to Central Florida Speech & Hearing Center to continue John & Gay""s legacy. Heath Funeral Chapel will be handling the arrangements. A Celebration of Life will take place on Sunday, August 9th, from 3:00 to 5:00pm at the Magnolia Building in Lakeland, Fl. Celebration of Life - Magnolia Building Visitation: 08/09/2015 Celebration of Life - Magnolia Building