Bettye Jean (Williams) Wade, age 84 of Decatur, Tennessee passed away on
April 10, 2017 at Athens Place in Athens after a long 4- year illness of
vascular dementia. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister,
mother-in-law, aunt and friend. She enjoyed her family and looked forward to the
annual family reunions. A native of McMinn County, Bettye was born at home on a
farm on August 2, 1932 to her parents Walter and Mendie Jewell Cooper
Williams. She started at Claxton School as a primer in 1938 and continued there
through most of the fourth grade. The family moved to Athens and she started at
Forest Hill School in the fourth grade and graduated from the 8th grade in 1947.
She then attended McMinn County High school and graduated in 1951. Betty played
on the basketball team during the 8th grade at Forest Hill School and also had a
part in an operetta called "Pirate of Penzance". In high school, her
activities were: Joy Club (Bible Club) president in 1948, Future Homemakers of
America in 1949, senior play "Our Miss Brooks" in 1951, chorus member for two
years, and alto delegate from McMinn High School to the All State Chorus in
Nashville in 1951. Bettye always enjoyed singing and started before an
audience at the age of 5 at Double Springs Baptist Church with the help of the
song leader, Buford Barker. She learned to sing alto from her older sister,
Lucille. Later, while attending Valley View Methodist Church in Powell,
Tennessee, she sang alto with other people in the church. Later, from 1985-1987
she sang with the "Galileans" quartet from Cleveland Tennessee. Her favorite
music was Southern Gospel and her second choice was country music. Bettye
started waitressing in high school at Snow's Drugstore in Athens and then
cashiered at Moore's Hardware Store. After high school, she started at Hamby
Construction Company for one year as a secretary and payroll clerk. She married
her husband, Paul Wade, on December 22, 1951, and they moved to Chattanooga. She
worked at Blessing-Waterhouse Wholesale Company as a bookkeeper until she became
pregnant with her first child, Deborah Ann Wade, who was born July of 1953. They
made many more moves over the years with TVA. Their second child, Alan Derek
Wade, was born in June of 1958. Bettye was a homemaker and Paul retired from TV
in September 1988. They retired to the Rogers Creek farm and built a new house
(at the site of the old house where Paul was raised). Their grandchild Kari
Nicole Brooks, was born on November 16, 1989.
Ms Wade was preceded in death by:
her husband Paul Wade, one infant brother John Henry Williams , three sisters
and brother-in-laws: Ruth and Louis Leatherwood, Thelma (Honey) and Robert (Pug)
Armstrong, Lucille and Birch Clarke, and James Wesley Shultz, one nephew, Robert
(Bobby) Armstrong, and one niece Wanda June Jones.
Survivors:
one daughter
and son-in-law, Debbie and Mike Brooks of Decatur, one son and his girlfriend
A.D. Wade and Betty Jo Whitehead of Decatur; one granddaughter and her fiance',
Kari Brooks and Greg Culin of Knoxville; one sister, Sarah (Bill) Shultz of
Athens, and several nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.
The
family would like to give special thanks to the staff and nurses of Athens Place
for our mom's excellent hospitality and care.We have all become a big family at
Athens Place. The family would also like to express their thanks for all the
help and support provided by the members of the McMinn and Meigs Alzheimer's
Support Group headed by Linda Garza. We would like to thank Joyce at Kentucky
Fried Chicken, Pebbles at Captain D's Restaurant, Cindy (our cousin) at
Buddy's Barbecue, and the girls at Russell Stover's Candy Shop for the kind
words and attention that they have given our mom during the lunches and ice
cream we shared with her at these Athens restaurants.
The graveside service will
be 2:30 pm Friday, April 14, 2017 at Thomas Cemetery with the Rev. Jamie Lonas
and Rev. Bruce Vincent officiating.
The family will receive friends from 12:00 pm
to 2:00 pm at the funeral home before the service.
In lieu of flowers,
contributions can be made to The McMinn Meigs Alzheimer's Support Group c/o
Linda Garza 714 Cartwright Street Athens, TN 37303
Those unable to attend may
send condolences to
www.laycock-hobbs.com Laycock-Hobbs
Funeral Home will be in charge of the arrangements.
