Eleanor Cianciolo Watkins Cianciolo Guthrie

Guthrie, Eleanor Cianciolo (Watkins) 95 of Knoxville, TN passed away Thursday, September 24, 2015. She was a graduate of Catholic High School and was devoted to Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. The Knoxville Police Department hired her as one of the first two women police officers in the state of Tennessee (1955). While serving in the patrol division, she was promoted to Head of the Women's Bureau with rank of Captain and retired after 28 years (1983). She was active in the Volunteer Republican Women’s Club, the Merry Widows, the Italian-American Society, Red Hat, American Business Women’s Association and Knoxville Fraternal Order of Police. In Eleanor's musical Italian family she was an accomplished pianist who played by ear. Eleanor is preceded in death by husband, Chilton Guthrie; brothers, Joseph, Johnny, Anthony Cianciola; sisters, Josephine Cooper and Frances Brown. She is survived by sons, Frank Watkins (wife Diana Austin), Bob Watkins (wife Sydney Witt); grandchildren, Lara Watkins (husband Michael Skop), Mark Watkins (wife Erin Roney), great-grandson, Matthew Skop; sisters, Mary Baldassarri, Teresa Carter, Rita Holder; many nieces and nephews with appreciation to Connie King, Deloris Glenn, and Ronald Brown; numerous close friends including Nelia Yarnell, Mark Davis, Frankie Daniel; caregiver Anna McMahan, and Amedysis Hospice Care. Family will receive friends at Berry Highland Memorial on Kingston Pike Tuesday, September 29th from 4:30-7:30 pm. Funeral Service will be Wednesday, September 30th at 3pm at Berry Highland Memorial immediately following with procession to graveside. Instead of flowers, please make memorial contributions to Immaculate Conception Catholic Church or other charity. Condolences may be offered at www.highlandmemorial.com.