Bettye Joyce Swann Warmbrod, age 86, of Belvidere, Tennessee, was welcomed into heaven on Sunday, June 7, 2020, surrounded by her daughters, granddaughters, sister, and niece. Mrs. Warmbrod was born in Alto, Tennessee, on April 22, 1934, to the late Virgil and Faye (Sublett) Swann. She spent her dearly beloved childhood years in Decherd with her parents, her big brother Bill, her inseparable sister Barbara, and her baby brother Jim. She graduated from Franklin County High School in 1951 where she played basketball. She married Mr. John David Warmbrod on June 11, 1955. She graduated from Saint Thomas School of Nursing as a registered nurse in 1954. Mrs. Warmbrod’s nursing career began at Huntsville Hospital in labor and delivery alongside Dr. Cameron. When John and Bettye returned to Franklin County TN, they purchased what had in years past been part of the Warmbrod family farm. Bettye worked with Dr. Fite at Smith Memorial Hospital in Winchester. After many highly favorable and memorable years at the hospital in Winchester, Bettye then was the nurse for the construction of Tims Ford Dam. Following the completion of the dam, Bettye became the school nurse for Franklin County High School. Perhaps the largest impact of her professional career came as she next began teaching health occupations for many years at FCHS. In all the years following her retirement, Mrs. Warmbrod dearly loved running into her previous nursing students who always seemed to remember her so fondly from the time they spent together at FCHS.

For all who knew Mrs. Warmbrod, they knew Bettye to truly have a servant’s heart. If there was any need to be met or any work to be done, she was the first to step up and serve without question nor consideration for any recognition. In fact, it was her preference not to be in the spotlight despite all that she served and shared. The only thing Mrs. Warmbrod loved as much as serving others was spending time with her family. She cooked for well over half a century of family Sunday dinners and holiday gatherings. Mrs. Warmbrod loved to travel on family trips, school trips, mission trips, senior mystery trips, camping trips, and just about any trip where friends, family, and most especially her sister Barbara wanted to go. Known by so many as “Meme,” she was always enthusiastically happy to get to be a part of any event with her family and never missed the chance to get to cheer on her daughters and granddaughters at every event imaginable, even volunteering many times over the years as camp nurse for all her girls summer camps. Whether with her beloved family or dear friends, she truly had a great time wherever she went. She loved to dance, from dancing the jitterbug and square dancing with John to her years of line dancing and then learning to clog in her senior years. She thoroughly enjoyed performing and visiting for many years at most all of the nursing homes in Franklin County. She was an avid University of Tennessee Lady Vols basketball fan, always decked out in her orange for every game, especially during the years of Pat Summit as coach. Her other interests included sewing, gardening, canning, and bird watching. Bettye was a 17-year breast cancer survivor and was a supporter of the Multi-County Cancer Support Network. She was a volunteer for Good Samaritan. Mrs. Warmbrod was a dedicated member of the First United Methodist Church (FUMC) of Winchester where she was also a member of the Friendship Sunday School Class and volunteered for many children’s programs including Vacation Bible School. She will always be remembered by her family and church friends for so dearly loving to sing her favorite church hymns all the days of her life.

She was preceded in death by her husband John David Warmbrod, who passed away two weeks earlier, her parents Virgil and Faye (Sublett) Swann, brothers Bill and Jim Swann, and nephew Troy Warmbrod. She is survived by daughters, Barbara “Babs” Feaster and her husband Joe and Sharon “Sheri” Gamble and her husband Jeff; granddaughters, Rachel Crossland and her husband Travis and Amber Heath and her husband Max; great-grandchildren, Chloe Crossland, Maxwell Heath, and Elizabeth “Libby” Heath (all of the above of Belvidere); sister, Barbara Weaver (of Decherd); brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Joan Swann (of Winchester), Stephanie Swann (of Decherd), Julia Warmbrod (of Belvidere), and Joe and Anita Warmbrod (of Greeley, CO); nieces and nephews, Wendi Weaver (of Decherd), Cindy Chambless and her husband Don (of Jacksonville, FL), Joanna Miller and her husband Clifton (of Belvidere), Terry Weaver and his wife Leslie (of Gunter, TX), Stephen Swann and his wife Mary (of Decherd), Jedd Swann and his wife Meredith (of Decherd), and Eric Warmbrod and his wife Lori (of Windsor, CO), 7 great nephews; 4 great nieces; 4 great-great nephews; and so many very special friends.

Graveside services were held on June 11th, at the family cemetery next to her husband John on their 65th anniversary. The Warmbrod Family has suffered a great loss with both Mr. and Mrs. Warmbrod passing away in such a short time span. The Scoop sends our prayers of comfort to the entire family.