Mary "Essie" Celeste Batson

MARY CELESTE “ESSIE” BATSON, age 83 of Dandridge, TN passed away Sunday afternoon, July 30, 2023.  She was the daughter of the late Clyde and Evaudna (Mason) Cate and was preceded in death by her husband of 63 years, Condon Batson; infant daughter, Debra Lynn Batson; brothers, Carroll and Gary Cate; sister, Betty (Alfred) Ballard; several brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law; father and mother in law, Lawrence and Mattie Batson and her precious fur baby companion, Misty Gwyn.  She is survived by her son, Jeff (Jeanie) Batson; daughter, Sonyna (Stephen) Carr; grandchildren, Jeffery Steven ( Heather) Batson, Chrystall (Nicholas) Wade, Zach Batson, Stephanie Carr and Gidget (Kevin) Shrader; great-grandchildren, Brittany Celeste (Garrett) Vincent, Miranda (Jacob) Ingram, Hunter Wade, Garrett and Maeson Crusenberry; sisters, JoAnn (James) Morgan, and Wanda (J.B.) Smith; brother, Charlie (Libby) Cate; Sisters-in-law, Marilyn Cate and Dorothy Cate;  Essie was faithful member of Lawsons Chapel Church and was a former employee of EPCO and LeSportsac and helped her family with the Batson Video Store.  She was a loving wife, mother, and gran gran and will be greatly missed by all her friends that knew and loved her.  In lieu of flowers the family request memorial gifts be made to Lawsons Chapel Church, 2718 Indian Creek Rd., Dandridge, TN 37725 or to St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105.  The family will receive friends on Wednesday, August 2, 2023 at Farrar Funeral Home Chapel from 9:00am to 11:00am followed by the funeral service at 11:00am.  Following the service there will be a family meal at Lawsons Chapel Church and then the family and friends will meet at 3:00pm at Dandridge Memorial Gardens for the graveside interment service.  Pallbearers will be Jeff Batson, Zach Batson, Billy Cosner, Ronnie Batson , Darrell Wayne Ellis, Josh Batson, Kevin Fox, Jimmy Smith and Frank Batson, Honorary pallbearers will be Nick and Hunter Wade.