Mary Elizabeth DeSelm

1925 - 2020

Mary Elizabeth (Bee) DeSelm

Knoxville - Mary Elizabeth (Bee) DeSelm, was born June 1, 1925 in Columbus, Ohio and died peacefully on September 6, 2020 at Shannondale Retirement Center in Knoxville, Tennessee after years of living with Alzheimer's disease. Bee is preceded in death by her husband of 63 years, Henry (Hal) Rawie DeSelm and her brother, Albert Charles Hersee. Others who mourn her loss are her children, Diane DeSelm Overcast and Richard Lowell DeSelm, (wife Tracy Martin DeSelm), Bee's grandchildren Megan Elizabeth Rudock, Jannah Webb Overcast, Grant Lowell DeSelm and Claire Martin DeSelm and her great grandchildren Henry Banaghan, Harrison and Webb Rudock.

Bee grew up in Columbus, Ohio and attended North High School and Ohio State University, earning degrees in Nursing (1946) and Education (1948). Bee had known Hal in high school and began dating him in 1947 after he returned from the war. They were married June 11, 1948. After working as a Labor and Delivery Nurse in Columbus, they moved to Tennessee in 1954. They eventually settled in Knoxville in 1956 where she and Hal started their family with Diane, followed by Rich. Knoxville became their home for the rest of their lives. Bee had an interesting series of careers over the years including: nursing, playing second violin with the Knoxville Symphony, serving as Religious Education Director at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, volunteering as the president of the local chapter of the League of Women Voters and, for two decades, was elected and re-elected as a Commissioner to the Knoxville County Commission.

Other passions Bee had included volunteering as a Big Sister for many years, Music Study Club, Knoxville Women's Center and various book clubs.

Bee will be remembered for her devotion to her husband, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Bee and Hal demonstrated the meaning of commitment, hard work, dedication and persistence. While having their own careers and passions, they worked hard to have a successful marriage. Everyone in Bee's extended family is blessed to have had them as shining examples to learn from. Bee's strong work ethic, fiercely moral principles, strong desire to connect people and to build consensus served her well throughout her career of service to her community and was further demonstration to her family of the proper way to live. Particularly fond memories are the many Thanksgiving vacations spent with the entire family and many visits to their house by the grandchildren.

Bee will be interred beside her husband in The Unitarian Church Memorial Garden in the coming days at a family ceremony. A memorial service will be arranged at a future date once restrictions allow.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her honor may be made to one of the following organizations: The Knox County Library, a Tribute Donation to Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Tennessee, Knoxville Friends of Literacy, and Knoxville Joy of Music School. Condolences may be sent to Diane Overcast, 2332 Kilkenny Way, Marietta, GA 30066 and Rich DeSelm, 208 Wyndham Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27516.