Randy Tyree

Randy Tyree, the former Knoxville mayor who oversaw the 1982 World’s Fair, died Nov. 24, 2025, at the age of 85. Born in Carthage, Tyree earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Middle Tennessee State University and then a law degree for the University of Tennessee. He spent 10 years in law enforcement, including serving as a police officer and police commissioner in Knoxville and four years with the FBI. In 1976, he became the youngest mayor in Knoxville history at the age of 34 and served two terms. During his tenure, he eliminated the city’s debt and helped create the Knoxville Convention Center. In 1982, he won the Democratic nomination for governor but was defeated by incumbent Gov. Lamar Alexander. City leaders named part of the World’s Fair Park in his honor in 2019.