Bessie McFarland

1927 - 2016

Bessie McFarland

Knoxville, TN

Bessie Beatrice (Chapman) McFarland, age 89, of Knoxville, went to be with the Lord on December 23, 2016. Born at the family farm in Whitesburg on November 10, 1927, Bessie was the eldest child of R.V. (Bill) and Lizzie Mae (Burdine) Chapman. She graduated from Bulls Gap High School in 1945 and married Clyde Emory McFarland, 3 weeks later. They eloped to Georgia because Bessie was too young to get married in Tennessee. They moved to Oak Ridge after WW2 when Clyde went to work at K25, and then later at the Oak Ridge National Laboratories. They settled in Karns after living a number of years in Oak Ridge and Kingston. After nearly 40 years of marriage Clyde preceded her in death in 1984. Bessie was fiercely devoted to her family and loved by her friends. She was a member of Grace Baptist Church in Karns and enjoyed traveling with their Golden Harvesters senior group. Over the years, she enjoyed Tennessee Vols basketball, quilting, sewing and perusing garage sales and antique stores for treasures. Bessie got her love of quilting from her mother and her casket will be covered in one of her mother's quilts. In addition to fond memories, her lovingly sewn quilts are some of the things by which her family will remember her. Until her health began to fail two years ago, she continued to drive and enjoyed breakfasts with her friends at the Hardee's in Karns. She was proud to be the only lady pictured in the mural of the "Breakfast Club" that hangs there.

Bessie was cherished by her three sons and daughters-in-law who survive her, Stephen and Gail, Gary and Cathey, all of Knoxville and Stan and Lynn, of Hendersonville, NC. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren feel truly lucky to have had her loving presence in their lives for so long and she will be missed by her grandchildren, Stephanie (Grant) Schultz, Michael (Debbie) McFarland, Dennis (Lori) McFarland, Sonya (Dan) Duckett, Sean McFarland, Evan McFarland; and great-grandchildren, Tyler McFarland, Ian Sise, Delaney Schultz, Sarah McFarland, Jenna Schultz, Riley Duckett, Will McFarland and Daniel Duckett. Bessie also leaves behind her sister, Betty Breeding, of Whitesburg; her sister-in-law, Evelyn (McFarland) McCulley of Kingsport; and several nieces, nephews and their families.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to the Pat Summit Foundation for Alzheimer's research (520 W. Summit Hill Drive, Suite 1101, Knoxville, TN 37902) or to the Dollywood Foundation's My People Fund to assist those affected by the recent Sevier County wildfires (111 Dollywood Lane, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863). The family will receive friends and family at Weaver Funeral Home on Tuesday, December 27 from 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. A graveside service at Oak Ridge Memorial Park at 2:00 p.m. will lay her to rest next to Clyde. Condolences are welcome at www.weaverfuneralservices.com. Arrangements by Weaver Funeral Home 5815 Western Ave, Knoxville, TN 37921.