Mary Ellen (Beets) Haltom peacefully died at her home in Spring Hill, Tennessee, Saturday, July 23, 2016 after a lengthy twilight struggle with Alzheimer's disease. She was 82.
Born, April 22, 1934, in Oneida, Tennessee, she was the daughter of Earl Clifton Beets and Gladys (McCartt) Beets. In 1944 the Beets moved from Oneida to Cincinnati, Ohio where Mary attended Hughes High School. She was a cheerleader and a member of the women's track and field team
In 1950, Mary left Cincinnati and returned to Oneida to live with her Godmother and Aunt Hattie Beets, the place she often referred to as "home."
Over the next two and a half decades, Mary resided in Dayton, Ohio, Knoxville and Chattanooga, TN. During those years, she worked as a hostess for Holiday Inn in Knoxville, TN; in Chattanooga she held positions as a receptionist and switchboard operator for Roper Corporation, an employment placement specialist for Snelling and Snelling, and a Field Auditor for Provident Life and Accident Insurance Company.
In 2000, after eighteen years of service, Mary retired from Provident Life and Accident.
One year later, she relocated from Chattanooga to Middle Tennessee to be closer to her children and grandchildren.
Throughout her adult life, Mary volunteered for several community and civic organizations, including East Ridge Hospital and both East Ridge and Hickory Valley Christian Churches and American Legion Post 14.
She was an active member of East Ridge Christian Church located in East Ridge, Tennessee (1966 -'72); Hickory Valley Christian Church in Chattanooga, TN (1972-'02); Franklin Christian Church located in Franklin, TN (2002-‘06), Eastside Baptist Church in Burns, TN (2006-'12) First Baptist Church in Spring Hill, Tennessee from 2012 until her death.
Mary was passionate about college and major league baseball. She was an Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds lifetime fan. As a season ticket holder, she attended Vanderbilt football games up until her death. Each spring, she loved going to "Vandy" baseball games to cheer on her beloved Commodores. In addition to her fervor for sports, Mary was a gifted homemaker, decorator, seamstress, avid reader and "shopping aficionado," all passions and gifts Mary enthusiastically and lovingly shared with three generations and so many others closest beloved by her.
She was proceeded in death by her parents; daughter, Stephanie (Mark) Shumaker; husband; Theodore M. Howe.
She is survived by her husband, James Lee Haltom of Spring Hill, TN; sons Robert (Rachel) Foster of Fairfax, VA, Bryon (Jimmie) Foster of Oneida, TN, Douglas (Jackie) Howe of Lawrenceburg, TN; daughters Beverly (Don) Warner of Oneida, TN, Kimberly (Shane) Phillips of Knoxville, TN, Cynthia (Allen) Guillory of Spring Hill, TN, Terri Howe, Apison, TN; brother Donald (Alison) Beets of Cincinnati, Ohio, stepson James L. (Kim) Haltom, II of South Carolina; stepdaughters Shawn (Dave) Windsor of Columbia, SC, and Dawn (Lana) Haltom of Lebanon, TN; 33 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren, cousins, nieces and nephews.
Funeral Services will be held on Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. at First Baptist Church in Spring Hill, TN with Brother Tom Hagerty officiating.
The interment will follow in Hamilton Memorial Gardens at 3:30 p.m. EST in Chattanooga, TN
Pallbearers will be Chance Howe, Matt Mason, Clint Pewitt, Keith Melvin, Nathan Perry, James Haltom III, and Alex Haltom.
Honorary Pallbearers will be the Cornerstone Sunday School Class of First Baptist Church.
The family will receive friends at the church on Monday from 6-8 p.m. and Tuesday from 10-11 a.m. at First Baptist Church located at 5219 Main Street in Spring Hill, TN.
Memorial gifts may be made to Stanford Alzheimer's Disease Research Center Development Service @ http://medicalgiving.stanford.edu/
SPRING HILL MEMORIAL PARK, FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATION SERVICES 931-486-0059 www.springhill-memorial.com
Visitation Details
Monday, July 25th, 2016 6:00pm - 8:00pm, Spring Hill First Baptist Church
Tuesday, July 26th, 2016 10:00am - 11:00am, Spring Hill First Baptist Church
Service Information
Tuesday, July 26th, 2016 11:00am, Spring Hill First Baptist Church
Interment Details
Hamilton Memorial Gardens