Bettye Lou Vance Burns

Bettye Lou Vance Burns, 86, of Tellico Village, passed away peacefully on January 24,2025 at L&L Home Care after a 14 year battle with Alzheimer’s. Our beloved mother was born August 29,1938 in Bell Buckle, Tennessee to the late Kathleen Nelson Vance and Gray Epps Vance, Sr. Bettye attended Bell Buckle elementary school and graduated at the top of her class from Bell Buckle High School in 1956 where she excelled as a tenacious basketball player and gifted pianist. After high school, she attended George Peabody College of Teachers in Nashville and graduated in May 1960 with a Bachelor’s of Science degree with a Major in Secondary Education and a Minor in Business Eduction. While at Peabody, Bettye met a fellow student, John (Jack) William Burns Jr. from Nashville on a blind date. The couple eloped to Memphis where Jack was a second year dental student and were married at St. Patrick’s church on September 26, 1959. After moving to Memphis, Bettye began her career in education as a home economics instructor at Humes High School in the fall of 1960. Upon Jack’s completion of dental school in 1962, the couple moved to Stuttgart, Germany where Jack served as a captain in the US Army 92nd Medical Detachment and Bettye taught Math and Science for the University of Maryland Army GED Program. The family moved back to the States in 1966 where Bettye began teaching with the Bedford County School System in Shelbyville, Tennessee until retiring from the classroom 1987. She was very accomplished in her profession and spent most of her early career earning advanced secondary education degrees during the summers when she was not teaching. Bettye earned a Master’s Degree in Secondary Education in 1980 and her Ed.S degree in 1982 both from Middle Tennessee State University. In 1988, she graduated at the top of her class with a Doctorate of Education Degree from Vanderbilt University and continued to teach educators part time at Vanderbilt University until 1994. She then began working for the State of Tennessee Controller's office as a consultant in nutrition, as this was the emphasis of her doctoral program. In 1996, Bettye and John moved to East Tennessee where she became the State of Tennessee East Tennessee Regional School Nutritional Consultant. She retired from the State Department of Education in 2012 after a beautiful 40+ year career in education. Teaching was, without question, one of Bettye’s greatest loves. She touched countless lives during her years in elementary and high school education. She continued to be a beacon of knowledge for the State Department of Education in attempting to make sure the children of Tennessee were provided the appropriate daily nutrition in order to excel in the classroom. Even after the horrible disease she battled daily began to cloud her mind in her later years it could not rob her of so many memories of being in the classroom making a huge impact on the lives of so many students over her tenure. Bettye spent many days reflecting on her years as a teacher and all the students she helped educate over her career. She also developed a love of drawing and left numerous gorgeous colored pictures for her loved ones to cherish. Bettye was an amazing mother who lived her life trying to love and protect her children and grand children. Outside of her love of her family and her profession, Bettye loved gardening in her yard and tending to all her gorgeous flowers. She was a lifelong avid fan of the University of Tennessee Volunteers. She enjoyed attending sporting events in Knoxville and followed the Vols throughout the country with her family and friends. She achieved the goal, along with her husband and daughter, of watching her Vols football team play at every Southeastern Conference stadium in addition to being present to see her team be crowned National Champions in the 1998 Fiesta Bowl. She coveted all the years of attending football games at Neyland Stadium with family and close friends and now has her favorite seat in an East Side skybox dedicated in her memory. Bettye was preceded in death by her parents, Gray Epps Vance Sr. and Kathleen Nelson Vance, husband of 64 years John (Jack) Willian Burns Jr. and son, William Michael Burns. Bettye is survived by her son John Gray Burns (Lisa) and daughter Dr. Angela Kathleen Burns both of Knoxville; Nana B’s grandchildren, William Charles Burns and Megan Nicole Burns, both of Knoxville. Sisters Marie Edwards of Louisville, KY and Mary Gladys Wolfe of Nashville; brothers Gray (Joe) Epps Vance Jr. of Wauchula,FL and John Larry Vance of Buford, GA in addition to many nieces and nephews. A church service/celebration of life will be held in Bettye’s honor at the Tellico Village Community Church on Friday February 21st at 1pm. A private family graveside burial service will be held at Hazel Cemetery in Bell Buckle, Tennessee followed by a reception for family and friends the date of which will be announced when determined. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Community Church of Tellico Village Scholarship Fund. Our family is in the process of establishing the Bettye Vance Burns Academic Scholarship at The Webb School of Bell Buckle and will be able to provide more information regarding this scholarship in the near future.

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Bettye Lou Vance Burns

August 29, 1938 - January 24, 2025