Obit – Mrs. Bettye Gwaltney Wills
Mrs. Bettye Gwaltney Wills of the Hickman community passed away peacefully on Saturday, December 7, 2024. She had made her home at the Carthage Pavilion since November 23, 2016.
Born Bettye Catherine Gwaltney on September 24, 1931, she was the daughter of the late Fred H. Gwaltney who died December 31, 1994, at the age of 95 and Willie McDonald Gwaltney who died November 18 1987, at the age of 85.
Mrs. Wills was a 1949 graduate of Gordonsville High School and a 1952 graduate of Tennessee Polytechnic Institute with a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Education. She was then employed by the Smith County Board of Education. Her teaching career spanned 39 years, teaching 36 of those years at Gordonsville Elementary and Gordonsville High School.
On January 12, 1953, Bettye was married to Roy Kenneth Wills by Bro. J. B. Morehead at the Gordonsville Methodist Church. Two sons, Ken and Kevin, were born to the union.
She was a member of the Union Hill Cumberland Presbyterian Church and Smith County Retired Teachers Association.
Outside of her love for her church and her family, she was an avid high school and college football fan. She relentlessly followed the Gordonsville Tigers and the Tennessee Vols.
In addition to her parents, Fred and Willie Gwaltney, she was preceded in death by her husband, Roy K. Wills on December 13, 2002 at the age of 72, brother, Jack D. Gwaltney, sisters-in-law Tony Baker, Ollie Jewel Nixon, Ethelene Gwaltney and brother-in-law Glenn Wills.
Surviving are two sons, Kenneth L. (Ken) Wills and wife Shari of Brentwood, TN, and Kevin G. Wills and wife Lori of Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, grandson, Jackson (Caitlin) Wills of Nashville, TN, granddaughters, Kendra (Anthony) Mubarak of Brentwood, TN, Paige (Brandon) King of Birmingham, AL, Margo Wills of Nashville, TN, and great grandchildren, McCall Mubarak, Ramsey Mubarak, Abe Mubarak, Walker King and Shiloh King, nieces, Jan Helfer, Wendy Baker, and Cheryl Nixon, nephews Jeff Gwaltney, Rickey Baker, Johnnie Nixon, Brent Wills, and sister-in-law, Lynn Wills.
The family would like to thank the Carthage Pavilion staff for the outstanding care and service they provided.
Pallbearers were Jackson Wills, Anthony Mubarak, Brandon King, Johnnie Nixon, Rickey Baker, Rick Helfer, and Jeff Gwaltney.
Funeral services for Mrs. Wills were conducted on Wednesday December 11, 2024 at 2pm from the Union Hill Cumberland Presbyterian Church in the Sykes Community. Interment followed in the Union Hill Cemetery.
Mrs. Wills family request memorial donations in her memory be made to the Union Hill Cumberland Presbyterian Church or to the Union Hill Cemetery fund.
BASS of GORDONSVILLE
