Jack E. Cress

Jack Cress, age 70, owner of Mountain View Service Station located at 214 West Main St., Mountain City, TN, passed away suddenly on Sunday, September 20th, 2026. Jack was born June 24, 1956 to the late Laymon Cress and Ruth Parsons Cress. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Jimmy Cress; sister, Jill Cress Lowe; niece, Lynne Phillips; nephew, Thomas Cress and great nephew, Jake Cable.

At an early age, Jack began his career at the family’s service station that opened in 1944, and as the current owner, he had brought the business to where it is today, serving not only Mountain City/Johnson County, TN, but all surrounding areas with a service station, auto repair shop, parts department and wrecker/towing service. Jack was known by many working in the law enforcement agencies all around. He was a 1974 graduate of Johnson County High School and the former fire chief of Mountain City. He served on the Tennessee Towing Association board for several years and enjoyed attending the wrecker show conventions. Jack was a member of First Baptist Church.

Jack is survived by his wife of 51 years, Dianne Holman Cress; daughter, Sarah Beth Cress; son, Andrew Cress; sisters, Joan Stout (late Randy Stout), Janet Payne (late Ray Payne ), Martha Jane Elvidge (late Howard Elvidge); brother, Robin Cress and wife Joyce; nieces and nephews, Janet Rhea Payne, Tim Payne (Tanya), Rod Stout (Linda), Justin Stout (Stephanie), Jennifer Icenhour (Michael), Sarah Hernandez (Arturo); several step-nieces and nephews and their families; several great nieces, nephews and cousins; his work family at Mountain View Service Station, David Campbell, Carl Daye, Jr., Robert Haizip, Carl Hastings, Johnny Miller, Jim Reece, Jeff Reece, Michael Rufty, Anthony Shaw and Billy Warren and many special friends and business associates.

The body will lie in state on Friday, September 25, 2026 at Mountain City Funeral Home from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. for anyone who would like to pay their respects.

The family will receive friends from 12:00 - 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 26, 2026 at First Baptist Church (421 W. Main St. Mountain City, TN) with the funeral service to follow at 3:00 pm with Dr. Jamie Bodiford, Rev. Michael Icenhour and Rev. Ricky Campbell officiating. Funeral procession will follow to Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery. Pallbearers and honorary pallbearers will consist of past and present members of the Johnson County Sheriff’s Department, Mountain City Police Department, Mountain City Fire Department, Mountain View Service Station, Johnson County EMS, Tennessee Highway Patrol and the Tennessee Towing Association. The service will be live-streamed on Facebook by First Baptist Church.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the International Towing Museum in Chattanooga, TN, https://internationaltowingmuseum.app.neoncrm.com/forms/donate or The Gideons International, PO Box 155, Mountain City, TN 37683.

Dianne respectfully requests no food at the home.

The family of Jack Edwin Cress has entrusted his services to Mountain City Funeral Home, 224 S. Church St., Mountain City, TN 37683.