Lloyd Donnelly spent 10 years in the U.S. Air Force before working 23 years with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

“I worked there during the Three Mile (Island) Accident,” Donnelly said of the partial nuclear meltdown March 28, 1979. “There was a concern about public safety. No one was hurt, and President (Jimmy) Carter showed up at the site.”

After retiring in 1999, Donnelly and wife, Claire, packed everything they owned into their new minivan and traveled through North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia until deciding to relocate in Tellico Village, where he has found no shortage of ways to fill his time.


Donnelly has worked with the Woodworkers Club, where he’s held different positions, including program chairman, vice president and president.

“My term of president will be up in a few months,” Donnelly said. “I tell people I will enjoy being a follower. I don’t have any plans. I was asked to do it. I like to solve problems. I like to get involved, and if we can solve things, that’s good.”

Bill McKeel, who served as president of the Woodworkers Club eight years ago, has known Donnelly for 14 years.

“He is very, very organized,” McKeel said. “When a problem comes up, Lloyd will — we have a policies and procedures manual. Lloyd will draft a new procedure to see the problem doesn’t occur again. He will be finishing up his two years in April. He has done a marvelous job of documenting rules — policy things — that we did and we had never had it written down. He’s done a marvelous job, so people can know in the future.”

Donnelly recently completed a desk for his 13-year-old granddaughter, Emma, as a birthday present, having worked on it for four years.

“Absolutely, it’s a work of art,” McKeel said. “Her birthday was on Thanksgiving, and he delivered it. It was beautiful. It was one of the best pieces of furniture we’ve seen made in some time. It had 13 hidden compartments. She thought it was fantastic.”

A head usher at the Community Church at Tellico Village, Donnelly used his woodworking ability to create an altar table for the church with the help of Charlie Anderson and Bill Davis.

Donnelly also participated as an active member of the Stained Glass Guild from 2005-15, where he served as president and vice president while coordinating several large projects, including creating windows for the Wellness Center, the Public Library at Tellico Village, the Yacht Club and the Good Neighbors Shoppe in Lenoir City.

During his involvement with the Watershed Association of the Tellico Reservoir from 2010-12, he served as president and vice president.

“We raised about $40,000 to riprap the shoreline of the Heron Island here that was eroding away,” Donnelly said. “Of course, WATeR does the clean up each year.”

Donnelly served on the Honor Awards Committee for the Property Owners Association from 2010-14 as member and chairman.

He got involved with the HomeOwners Association after his neighbor, Dan Jaksen, needed a neighborhood watch coordinator in 2000 and continued serving on the HOA board until 2006.

Despite being involved with numerous clubs and organizations throughout the Village, Donnelly said his favorite part of the community is the people.

“We were here for a while,” he said of the time they waited to build their house. “Before we moved in, we knew 40 couples. That was great. When you move somewhere new, you’re always wondering if you’re going to fit in. You know what to expect as to the physical amenities, but you never know about meeting other people.

“... I’ve met so many tremendous people in all of the organizations I’ve been involved in,” Donnelly added. “I think you have to be around people you like and admire. People are different and like different things. I think some people are so wrapped up in their jobs, they feel lost (after retiring). Then there’s so many things other people want to do when they retire, that it gives them a chance. It’s really a nice thing to have a nice career and to be able to walk way. I’ve had a great life, a great marriage. As long as you do what is right, treat people right and work hard, you’re going to come out OK.”