Nicholas Honerkamp

Nicholas (Nick) Honerkamp, 76, of Chattanooga, TN, passed away peacefully on Tuesday October 6, 2026 in Bethlehem, PA. Born in Cincinnati, OH, he was the oldest child of Marjory Power (née Williams) and Edwin Honerkamp. Nick grew up in Jacksonville, FL. He completed his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees in Anthropology at the University of Florida in Gainesville. In 1980, he moved to Tennessee and became the director of the Jeffrey L. Brown Institute of Archaeology at the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga. He taught Archeology and Anthropology at UTC for 39 years before retiring in 2019. He specialized in industrial and plantation archeology and conducted digs in Chattanooga and Southern coastal Georgia.

Nick was an endurance runner and mountain biker, regularly competing in marathons and triathlons. He learned to play bass and guitar as a teenager, and music remained an important part of his life. He was bass player and vocalist in several rock ’n’ roll bands including Ain't Yo Mama, The Pool, and Lumbar Five.

Nick was surrounded by wonderful friends, colleagues, running, biking, and boxing buddies, former students, and neighbors over the years. He loved bodysurfing, catching crabs on Hird Island, and any fruit he came across.

Survivors: Nick is survived by his younger sisters, Mary (Dande) Levi, Lisa Pittman, Barbie Valetto, and their children. He leaves his three children, Aurelia, Gordon, and Savanna Honerkamp-Smith, his son-in-law Elijah Stillson, his grandchild Edith Stillson, and his ex-wife, Robin Smith.

Services: Memorial Services will be announced shortly by the family. Details will be published here when finalized. Arrangements entrusted to James Funeral Home, Bethlehem.