Betty Jo "B. J." Padgett Skeen

BETTY JO ?B.J.? PADGETT SKEEN, of Morristown, TN died peacefully in her sleep on July 16, 2012 after a courageous battle of cancers. She was born March 23, 1931 to the late Hobert (Berry) and Rowe Thomas Padgett in Bybee, TN, soon moving to Morristown, where she still resided. B. J. was a member of First Methodist Church and past Worthy matron of The Eastern Star. She had many passions, but her truest was her nursing profession and her patients. She jokingly referred to herself as Florence Nightingale to many of those she cared for. Her father did not wish his daughter to be a nurse, but her desire remained and many years after attending Carson Newman College, when her daughters were teens, she pursued her dream of becoming a nurse. She began employment at Jefferson Memorial Hospital on July 3, 1978, where she had completed a rotation and fallen in love with the care patients received at every level. She remained employed there 35 years later at the time of her death. Although she held many positions there, she found her true niche as patient advocate. Preceded in death by her husband, James (Jim) Skeen; brother, Ordway Padgett. She is survived by her daughters, Jamie Skeen of Morristown, Kelly Sloan of Cheyenne, WY; granddaughter, Ellen Sloan of Cheyenne, WY; son-in-law, Dr. Michael Sloan; and her extended family at Jefferson Memorial Hospital; many loving friends and neighbors; along with her canine and feline family: Sir Winston, Rocky, Bandit, Gertie and Kandy Skeen. Funeral service will be held at 7:00 p.m. Friday, July 20, 2012 at Farrar Funeral Home with Rev. Dwayne Whittington and Rev. Gary Riggs officiating. Family will receive friends from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. prior to the service. Family and friends will meet at 10:45 a.m. Saturday morning at Hamblen Memory Gardens in Morristown for an 11:00 a.m. graveside interment service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Jefferson Memorial Hospital Women?s Imaging Department, 110 Hospital Drive, Jefferson City, TN 37760 ARRANGEMENTS BY FARRAR FUNERAL HOME IN JEFFERSON CITY, TN 865-475-3892