Dr. Richard Gillespie:
A True East Tennessean

“It‘s God’s country."

That is Dr. Richard Gillespie’s simple response when asked to describe East Tennessee. Not what you would expect from a native New Yorker who went to both undergraduate and medical schools in the North.

Gillespie, a renowned anesthesiologist, has made his home in East Tennessee for more than 30 years. He raised both his children in the area. Now his two grandchildren also call East Tennessee home.

“I wanted my kids to have a traditional up-bringing in a safe, warm and friendly area," says Gillespie. He admits that he knew nothing able East Tennessee when he first was offered a practice in Knoxville. He borrowed one of his small children’s geography books to locate Knoxville on the map.

“I really knew nothing about the area, but the minute I visited I was hooked," Gillespie says.

He visited for just one weekend, only a few months before he was supposed to move. Within the weekend, he had found his dream home with more living space than he and his wife ever dreamed. Gillespie remembers, “Everyone was so helpful, and we felt so welcome."

Thirty years later, Gillespie still loves East Tennessee. He is a season ticket holder for Knoxville Symphony performances as well as University of Tennessee football games. He wakes up every morning while savoring a cup of coffee and gazing at Lake Loudon.

“People sometimes ask me if I would ever move," says Gillespie, “and I cannot imagine it. East Tennessee is my home."