Autumn Ford Jennings

Autumn Ford Jennings, 32, died March 27, 2012, at the UT Medical Center in Knoxville, Tenn., of complications after childbirth. She was preceded in death by her father, Larry Ford. She is survived by Will Jennings, her loving husband for nine years and world-travelling companion; and her two daughters, Aurora Whitley Jennings (Rory) and new-born Ariana Lydia (Aly) Jennings.
Other survivors include her mother, Pam Ford, of Roanoke; two brothers, Boyd Ford and his wife, Penelope, of New Orleans, La. and Scott Ford, his wife Stephanie, and their daughters Andrea, Victoria, and Carrie, of Columbia, S.C.; and in-laws, Ben and Merry Jennings, of Abingdon.
Autumn was born in Greenville, S.C., and graduated from Salem High School in Virginia, where she was the valedictorian. She was an honors graduate of the University of South Carolina in 2001, where she was active in Alpha Phi Omega and the PALM Campus Ministry. She recently received an M.A. in ESL Instruction and an Ed.S. in Educational Administration from the University of Tennessee.
She taught in the Hamblen County, Tenn. public schools, where she took great pride in her job as an English as a Second Language teacher at Meadowview Middle School. She was a recent Hamblen County "Teacher of the Year."
Autumn had an unquenchable thirst for world travel, visiting more than 50 countries, studying abroad in Finland, and teaching English in China. Recently she served as a Team Leader on a United Methodist mission trip to the South Sudan.
She was an active member of Bookwalter United Methodist Church, where she was part of a very loving church family.
Visitation will be at Bookwalter United Methodist Church from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 31, 2012, with a Funeral Service at 3:30 p.m. and graveside services at the church cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent to the Young-Williams Animal Center, 3201 Division Street, Knoxville, TN 37919 (birthplace of Autumn's canine daughter Moeketsi); the University of South Carolina Educational Foundation, 1600 Hampton St. Suite 814, Columbia SC 29208; or the Knoxville March of Dimes, 322 Nancy Lynn Lane, Suite 11, Knoxville, TN 37919.
Gentry Griffey Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements. Please sign and view the family guestbook by visiting www.gentrygriffeyfuneralchapel.com.