James Carlyle "Jim" East

James Carlyle “Jim” East, 81, of Franklin, TN died February 14, 2025. Jim was born to Raymond Harless East and Otley Dawson East on June 5, 1943, in Pulaski, Virginia. He was preceded in death by his parents; his oldest brother, Douglas Dawson East; sister-in-law, Agnes East and beloved dog Patches. He is survived by his son, Britt East; Britt’s mother, Vickie Kilgore; brother, Raymond Early East (Caroline); niece, Jennifer Raye East (Paul Busick); three great-nieces, Katie, Abby and Ellie.

Jim was a newspaperman to the core. He was happiest in a newsroom and spent most of his working life in one. He was hooked at his hometown newspaper – The Southwest Times, in Pulaski, VA. From there he became the city editor of the Bristol Herald-Courier and moved on to reporting and editor roles in Pittsburg, CA: Opelousas, LA; and Charlottesville, VA; before joining The Tennessean in Nashville.

Jim was known for his accurate and unbiased reporting, whether he was covering politics, crime, or a local interest story. During his time at The Tennessean, Jim went undercover as a person experiencing homelessness and spent seven weeks living on the streets of Nashville. He covered multiple presidents, high profile legal cases, local political scandals and everything in between. His column, “The Back Porch”, was devoured by locals who wanted the scoop on everything Williamson County-related.

Upon retiring from The Tennessean in 2002, he immediately called Franklin Review Appeal Executive Editor Mindy Tate, who hired him as her news editor. At the Review Appeal, he mentored young reporters, brought back his popular column, now called “Back on the Porch,” and led the charge to take the paper six days a week. In “retirement”, he also worked behind the scenes at Channel 4 news, Williamson Home Page and as a ghostwriter and editor on many freelance projects. 

Jim never knew an enemy. He loved his son with all his heart. He was the quintessential old school journalist, committed to the truth. He made friends readily and kept them. They will miss his loving heart and his sense of humor. 

A celebration of life service will be held at Williamson Memorial Funeral Home in Franklin on Thursday, February 20 at 2:00 p.m., Rev. Dr. Vona Wilson officiating, with gathering and fellowship time one hour before the service. Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to Friends of Williamson County Animal Center.