Laverne Brady

Barbara Laverne Ward Brady went to her heavenly home after a long battle with Alzheimer’s Dementia. She was a wonderful wife, mother, and grandmother who enjoyed plays, ballet recitals, and games when her grandchildren performed.

Ms. Brady was preceded in death by her mother, Elsie Maddox, and her father, William Ward. Orphaned at age two, she and her older brothers Eugene and Jess were raised by her grandmother, Kate Maddox, and Kate’s son, Ray Maddox. Ms. Kate Maddox’s strength and resolve was evident in every child’s spirit and work ethic. She was preceded in death by her brother, Eugene “Mose” Ward, (Jeannie Seely) of Nashville, Tennessee and her uncles, Ray Maddox of White Pine and Harvey Maddox of Henderson, North Carolina.

She was preceded by her special life-long friends, Betty Murph of Jefferson City, Wanda Hammond, White Pine, Martha Ann Ball, White Pine, and Loretta Smelcer of Sevierville, TN. She also loved friends of the family, Tommy Musick and Darrell Tabor.

She is survived by her husband of sixty-three years, Paul Brady of her home in White Pine, her son, Daryl Brady, (Traci) and their daughters, her special grandchildren, Anna Katherine, and Caroline; and Jess “Top” Ward (Doris), of Cypress, California. Debbie Maddox Barber, Columbia, TN; Patricia Wilson (Joe) of Henderson, North Carolina, and Brady Maddox of Henderson, NC.

She loved all her brother’s children, Kevin Ward, Greg Bollinger, Shane Bollinger, of Nashville, Gail Ward, Larry and Gary Ward, and Steven Ward of California and their children and grandchildren.

She is survived by her special friends, Rita Musick, Debbie & Greg Worley, Karen & Donnie Tabor, Rene Tabor, Debbie and Clyde Loyd, and good neighbor, Mary Ollis. Laverne graduated from White Pine High School in 1955 and worked for Dr. Baker of White Pine and then settled into working for 37 consecutive years at American Enka, BASF Fibers and due to her seniority was one of the last employees at BASF before the plant was shut down. She worked in both the rayon and nylon winding plants, working the “swing shift,” a variety of shifts including days, evenings, and the graveyard shift, yet managed to be a mother and provide support at her son’s sporting events.

She enjoyed watching sports and was a huge supporter of the White Pine Cyclones, including making the trip to the girl’s first state tournament appearance in Murfreesboro; the Jefferson County Patriots football team, (especially the first ever undefeated regular season and play-offs (1982, Daryl’s senior year), and the University of Tennessee Volunteers.

Laverne and Paul were staunch believers in education and their goal was to provide their son with a college education and he graduated from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 1988 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business. They were also tremendous supporters and volunteers in his career and were a huge help to any organization he was tasked with leading or any endeavors he undertook.

She adored Daryl’s girlfriend, Traci, and opined that she was “the one” and true to a mother’s intuition, they were married and have been happily married for twenty-five years. She loved Traci as her own daughter and was always available to baby-sit. Laverne and Paul volunteered at Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce events for ten years and helped at the golf tournament, annual meeting and banquet, LEADERSHIP Jefferson County retreats, and Christmas in Jefferson County. They helped pack food boxes and toys for needy families and enjoyed working those events each year and in their retirement cleaned the Chamber offices on the weekends at a nominal charge, maintaining a Chamber membership themselves for years. They always enjoyed working the Christmas in Jefferson County distribution event for Phil Kindred and adored he and his wife, Becky. She enjoyed activities at the White Pine Senior Center and frequently attended White Pine City Council meetings and stayed engaged as an active participant in civics. Having grown up without a mother and father, she cherished her husband’s mother and father, Basil and Effie Brady and his family including his sisters which became her sisters as well with Mary Brady and Beatrice Brady affectionately loved still today as the remaining sisters, along with Morris Brady (Carolyn) of Cosby. She was saved at the age of eleven at the First Baptist Church in White Pine and was one of its longest living members and attended regularly until it became difficult to get to church. 

Her purest joy was her two grandchildren, Anna Katherine and Caroline, and both she and Paul attended all of their ballet recitals, plays, school events, basketball games and they were there for everything for both grandchildren. Whether it was grandparents’ day at school, a play or musical at church, they attended each event with enthusiasm and with the love and pride that only grandparents can feel.

The family would like to thank Roger Mynatt and his staff at Jefferson Park Dandridge for their care since May of 2024, especially nurses Kim, Ashley, and Karen who were tremendous caregivers along with the entire staff. In addition, special thanks to Karen & Donnie Tabor for their help and assistance, First Baptist Church White Pine, Amy at English Mountain Spring Water for her kindness and sweetness over the years, and Smoky Mountain Home Health and Hospice.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to First Baptist Church White Pine, Jefferson County’s Imagination Library at the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce, or any organization affiliated with Alzheimer’s research. Family will receive friends on Saturday, January 4, 2025, from 12:00pm to 2:00pm at Farrar Funeral Home in White Pine with Funeral Service to follow at 2:00pm with Rev. Brian Osborne and Rev. Kris Brady officiating. Graveside Interment will follow in White Pine Cemetery. 

Farrar Funeral Home in White Pine (865) 674-2441 www.farrarfuneralhome.com