Lewis Cosby Obituary

Lewis Cosby III

April 27, 1950 -

June 19, 2025

Lewis Franklin Cosby III, a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and exemplary Tennessean, passed away peacefully on June 19, 2025, at the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, Tennessee. Born on April 27, 1950, in Johnson City, Tennessee, Lewis lived an extraordinary life of 75 years, defined by integrity, generosity, and an insatiable curiosity that touched countless lives.

Lewis grew up in Johnson City, attending Science Hill High School, where he forged lifelong friendships and a deep connection to his hometown. He graduated from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville with a degree in accounting and became a Certified Public Accountant, demonstrating his sharp intellect and discipline. A proud member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, he cherished the bonds of his college years. Lewis began his career at Price Waterhouse Coopers in Atlanta, Georgia, where he met his beloved wife, Lydia Clendenin Cosby. He later returned to Knoxville, becoming a partner at Welch, Johnson and Cosby Accounting Practice, where his leadership and expertise shone.

From childhood, Lewis was drawn to broadcasting, a passion he pursued with remarkable tenacity. In 1985, he joined the "Johnson City Four," defying the odds to secure a VHF television station license for what became WVLT-TV Channel 8 (formerly WKXT-TV), Knoxville's CBS affiliate. After its sale in 1995, he brought the WB to Knoxville as WB20 (the CW) and later pioneered the region's first all-HD station, WKNX-TV (formerly WMAK-TV Channel 7), transforming East Tennessee's media landscape. His entrepreneurial spirit extended beyond broadcasting, leading him to become a partner in multiple Panera Bread franchises across Texas, Louisiana, and Florida, where he fostered community through his business ventures.

A man of deep integrity and quiet charity, Lewis cared profoundly for both loved ones and strangers, often giving generously without seeking recognition. His unique humor brought joy to every gathering, and his hobbies reflected his relentless curiosity. Lewis was fascinated by technology, spending countless hours building computers from scratch, meticulously understanding each component's role. On the side, he pursued engineering projects, diving into the mechanics of systems and devices with a hands-on passion, always eager to unravel how things worked. His commitment to community was evident in his extensive board service, including Past Member of the Board of Directors, Secretary, and Ethics Officer of the Knoxville-Knox County Public Building Authority; Past Chairman and Member of the Ethics Committee of Knox County; Past Member of the Board of Directors of the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce; Past Member of the Business Advisory Council of Tennessee Wesleyan University; Past Member of the Board of Visitors for the College of Communication and Information at the University of Tennessee; Past Member of the Board of Directors for the Tennessee Theatre Foundation; Past Member of the Board of Directors for 91.9FM, Inc. (WUOT-FM); Past Member of the Board of Directors for the Better Business Bureau of Knoxville; Past Member of the Marketing Committee for Panera Bread, LLC; and Member of the Board of Directors for Hornsby Tire Distributors in Dothan, AL. His warmth, wit, and genuine care left an indelible mark on all who knew him.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Dr. Lewis Franklin Cosby Jr. and Patricia Vance Cosby. He is survived by his loving wife, Lydia Clendenin Cosby; his children, Lewis Franklin Cosby IV and Andrew Ross Cosby; his grandchildren, Lewis Franklin Cosby V (Luke), Madison Ashley Cosby, Wesley Paul Cosby, and Millie Anne Cosby; his sisters, Patricia C. Clark of Knoxville, TN, and Valda C. Holyfield and her husband Chuck of Flag Pond, TN; his brothers, Daniel M. Cosby of Johnson City, TN, and Vance Cosby and his wife Donna of Unicoi, TN; his sister-in-law, Claudia Clendenin Withrow and her husband Albert "Chip" Withrow; and his nieces and nephews, Patricia Holyfield Lane and her husband John and children of Raleigh, NC, Stacie Holyfield Saunders and her husband Eric and children of Henderson, NC, Kelly Cosby Hemmrich and her husband JB and children of Hendersonville, TN, David Robert Cosby and his wife Elizabeth of Hendersonville, TN, and Jamie Vance Cosby and children of Hendersonville, TN. His legacy of honesty, innovation, and compassion will live on in the hearts of his family, friends, and the communities he served across Tennessee and beyond.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Cherokee Country Club in Knoxville at 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 12, 2025.