Bettye Ruth Fite Forney

BETTYE RUTH FITE FORNEY, age 76, of Jefferson City, TN passed away quietly on Wednesday morning, November 17, 2010 after a two year battle with cancer. Bettye Ruth was born in Clarksville, TN and raised primarily in Jefferson City, TN. She attended Carson Newman College, graduating summa cumma lau with a degree in Physical Education. After marrying Jim Forney, they moved to Miami, FL, where she taught PE for two years until she became a mother. She enjoyed being a stay-at-home mom for many years and went back to teaching in 1974, where she worked for the Spring Branch Indep. School District in Houston, TX while earning her Masters Degree from the University of Houston. She enjoyed and excelled in her teaching, evidenced by her winning the ?Teacher of the Year Award? prior to her retirement. When she retired, she and Jim moved back to her beloved Jefferson City and focused on her golf game. She was always an avid sports player, with tennis and golf becoming her passion. She also spent countless hours as an elder for First Presbyterian Church of Jefferson City improving and redecorating the facility. She was a tireless supporter of Carson Newman College, where her father, Dr. Harley Fite, had been president from 1948-1969. Her husband dedicated the student lounge and adjoining terrace of the New Business School in her honor. She was an active member of the Lakeside Country Club in Houston, TX and the Country Club of Morristown, TN, as well as the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) and the First Families of Tennessee, Monday Literary Club, San Souci and Les Amies. Bettye Ruth embraced life with an inquisitive mind and an energetic spirit that made each of her days exciting and unique ? she will be missed and forever remembered. Your family loves you, misses you and embraces your spirit and passion and will all dance in your honor. In her honor, ?I Hope You Dance? by LeAnn Womack is dedicated to her grandchildren. Preceded in death by her parents, Dr. Harley and Esther Fite and sister, Elizabeth, she is survived by her loving husband of 55 years, James Walker (Jim) Forney; her children, David (Tracy) Forney and Susan (Paul) Rhodes; grandchildren, Samantha, Jesse, Stephanie, Logan, Gavin and Avery; sisters, Lila (Bill) Roden and Esther (Will) Rabenstein. Funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 20, 2010 at First Presbyterian Church of Jefferson City with Dr. Calvin Metcalf and Dr. Robert Shurden officiating. Lunch will be served as the family receives friends immediately following the service in the fellowship hall of the church. Family and friends will then gather at 1:45 p.m. at Westview Cemetery for a 2:00 p.m. graveside interment service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church, 721 Church Street, Jefferson City, TN 37760, or Carson Newman College, C-Box 72017, Jefferson City, TN 37760. Arrangements by Farrar Funeral Home in Jefferson City, TN (865) 475-3892