Eric Lee Soesbe, longtime resident of Tullahoma, passed away on Friday, Oct. 11, 2024 at Vanderbilt University Medical Center at the age of 89. Mr. Soesbe was born in Grinnell, Iowa to the late Lee and Faith Somers Soesbe.

His family moved to Tullahoma shortly after he was born, and he called it home for over 80 years. Eric played football for Tullahoma High School, and went on to play at Vanderbilt University on the 1955 Gator Bowl Championship Team. He was thrilled to get to witness their defeat of the Alabama Crimson Tide a week before his passing. Eric also served his country as a 1st Lieutenant in the United States Army during the Cold War, where he worked as a codebreaker in Alaska. He remained a proud patriot throughout his life. He was the president of Tennessee Tanning until it sold in the early 1980s, and he then worked as a real estate agent until his retirement in the 1990s. One of Mr. Soesbe’s unique passions that he became locally famous for was hot air ballooning. He was affectionately known as Capt. Phatts in the balloon world from 1970-1985. Mr. Soesbe is survived by his wife, Sandra Soesbe of San Juan, PR; three daughters, Clarisa Hill (Jim), Sonja Gray (Doug), and Victoria Soesbe; four grandchildren, Nathan Gray, Ryan Gray, Hayden Hill (Elizabeth), and Emma Hill; one sister, Ann Soesbe Rust; one nephew, Jeff Richardson; and one niece, Lee Ann Owens.

Visitation for Mr. Soesbe will be held on Saturday, Oct. 26, from 2 – 4 p.m. at Kilgore Funeral Home. A memorial service will immediately follow at 4 p.m. For those who wish, in lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to honor Eric’s patriotism to either The Wounded Warrior Project – P.O. Box 78516, Topeka, KS 66675-8516; or the Tunnels to Towers Foundation – 2361 Hylan Boulevard, Staten Island, NY 10306.

Kilgore Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Tullahoma News – Oct. 20, 2024