Wanda Moody

Wanda Lee Moody, age 91 of Knoxville, peacefully passed away Sunday, November 29, 2020. Wanda was born September 8, 1929 in Knoxville to the late J. Randall and Clara Mitchell Moody. Wanda received a B.S., in 1947 from the University of Tennessee in education, with the emphasis in Language Arts and her Master’s Degree in 1954 from the University of Tennessee in Special education with an emphasis in Speech and Hearing. She held leadership positions in the Knoxville City School System, serving on the Metropolitan Planning Commission and as Assistant Commissioner of Education under former Governor Lamar Alexander. Wanda was the third woman elected to the Knox County Commission and served for twenty years in the role. Wanda spent her life serving and supporting others. She loved working in education, discussing and participating in politics, and dealing with real estate. To honor her decades of service, the Knoxville City Council, in 2019, unanimously approved the renaming of the North Winston Overpass in the West Hills Community to the Wanda Moody Overpass. She was preceded in death by her parents, sister and brother in law, Evelyn and Millard P. Plumlee. Wanda is survived by family, Joan (Victor Ashe of Knoxville, TN, Mary (Doug) Kersten of Angola, IN, Martha (Tom) Nealon of St. Augustine, FL, Claude Plumlee of Indianapolis, IN, M.P. “Perky” and Leslie Plumlee of Winona Lake, IN; great nieces and nephews, J. Victor and Martha Ashe, Dr. Andrew (Casey) Kersten, Dr. Sara Kersten (Ryan) Parrish, Tom (Katie) Nealon, Beau and Lily Plumlee, Miles Plumlee, Mason Plumlee, Marshall Plumlee and Madeline Plumlee and close neighbor and caregiver, Louise Owens. The family is so thankful that we were able to come together to honor and celebrate her ninetieth birthday with a large reception attended by many of her friends. She treasured everyone who had blessed her life and thoroughly enjoyed the attention that special day. Leaning on that good memory, the family will have a private memorial service at 3:00 PM Friday, December 4, 2020 at Berry Highland Memorial Cemetery 5315 Kingston Pike with Reverend Sherry Boles officiating. The family request that in lieu of flowers, please make donations to Bearden United Methodist Church, 4407 Sutherland Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37919 or to the Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum, 2743 Wimpole Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37914. Friends may call at their convenience Thursday at Rose Mortuary Mann Heritage Chapel. Online condolences may be sent to www.rosemortuary.com

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Wanda Moody

September 8, 1929 - November 29, 2020