Obit – Mrs. Lynnie Boat’e
Mrs. Lynnie Boat’e formerly of the Defeated Creek Community went home to be with the Lord on Saturday October 4, 2025 at the Pavilion Senior Living Rehabilitation and Care Center in Lebanon, with her son David, singing softly by her bedside.
In a quiet moment yet to come, Lynnie’s close family will gather on a South Carolina shore to honor her final wishes. There, where the ocean breathes against the sand, her ashes will be released to the sea, carried by the tides she loved—free and at peace.
Mrs. Boat’e was born Lynn Ruth Boat’e in Brooklyn, New York on November 2, 1946 the daughter of the late Franklin Edward Boat’e and Ruth DeBoer Boat’e.
Lynnie lived a remarkable life filled with creativity, compassion, and community service. She was a Girl Scout and Cub Scout leader, an avid volunteer at the Smith County Help Center, and proudly earned her English degree from Tennessee Tech University at the age of 44, graduating with the highest honors.
Her love for the arts was evident throughout her life. She founded a community theater program in Baxter, Tennessee, directing beloved productions such as Where’s Charlie and Bye Bye Birdie. She also participated in local performances at Tennessee Tech University and the Cumberland County Playhouse, and went on to direct and choreograph numerous plays and musicals.
Lynnie’s compassion extended far beyond the stage. She founded and administered Families In Crisis, a nonprofit shelter for battered and abused women in McMinnville, Tennessee. Through her tireless efforts, she became both an advocate and a beacon of hope for women in need—securing grants, building resources, and providing care with unwavering dedication.
In addition to raising her two children, she also opened the doors of their home to many others who needed a little extra love and respite. A devoted caregiver, she also lovingly cared for her disabled Aunt Hilda for many years. Her kindness, patience, and strength were reflections of her giving spirit.
She had a business making candles, helped build homes, operated a catering business, worked as a restaurant server, and was a sought-after beautician. She later owned and operated Suds and Stuff Market in Defeated, Tennessee, a popular stop for locals and travelers visiting Cordell Hull Lake. More than a business, it became a gathering place where Lynnie welcomed everyone with warmth, generosity, and often a helping hand to those in need.
Lynnie had many passions that reflected her creative and nurturing spirit. She loved gardening and took pride in canning and preserving the harvest from her own backyard. A gifted artist and designer, she also created her family’s Christmas cards each year, infusing them with her signature charm. She was also a talented seamstress and crocheter, crafting beautiful handmade pieces for those she loved. A self-taught musician on piano, banjo and guitar, Lynnie wrote many of her own songs and played in several bands too.
Lynnie was known for her bright smile and the joy she brought into every room. If your name didn’t end in “ie,” she’d give you a nickname that did — because, as she loved to say, adding “ie” made her smile every time she said your name.
She was also a lifelong animal lover who opened her heart and home to many wonderers over the years. It was not uncommon to find her surrounded by three or more of her beloved “doggies,” each one spoiled and adored.
She will be deeply missed and forever remembered for her compassion, talent, laughter, and love that knew no bounds.
Survivors include her son, David Rasmussen and wife Sharon of Lebanon and longtime residents of Butterfly Hollow in the Hogans Creek Community; daughter, Josalyn Burgess of Lowell, Massachusetts; sister, Ruth Vosburgh and husband Mark of Bluffton, South Carolina; three grandchildren, Elizabeth Rose, Callum, & Austin.
SANDERSON of CARTHAGE
