Thelma Elizabeth Hill Rainwater

Thelma Elizabeth Hill Rainwater, age 91 of Dandridge TN, died on December 18 in Maryville, TN at Clover Hill Senior Living, after living several years with dementia. She was born on March 22, 1930, to Palmer and Bonnie (Teague) Hill in Cocke County. She grew up in the Chestnut Hill Community of Jefferson County, and worked at Bush Brothers Factory in the late 1940’s - 1950's. She married Wayne Rainwater and lived most of her adult life on Indian Creek Road in the Sandy Ridge community, before moving to Dandridge (to the Martha's Lakeside Village neighborhood). She was preceded in death by her parents Palmer & Bonnie (Teague) Hill, her husband Wayne, and her siblings: Cordelia Hill, Creed (Mary Edith) Hill, Louise (Ben) Fox, J.C. (Marie) Hill, Maxie (Doak) Lamb, Ruth (W.T.) Shorter, and Junior (Margaret) Hill, and her brothers-in-law: Ponder (Naomi), Payne (Glispie), and Jesse Rainwater. She is survived by her son: Mickey Rainwater and his wife Joy Wilhelm Rainwater, and her namesake granddaughter: Myra Elizabeth Rainwater; all of Maryville, TN. She is also survived by her siblings: Eva (Claude) Derrick, Wanda (Minnis) Collins, and sister-in-law Ina (Creed) Hill; and many nieces and nephews who knew her as "Aunt Tookie." She was no stranger to hard work, whether in the tobacco fields, feeding and milking the cows, gardening and canning, yard work (especially her flowers), cooking and housework. Hills Union United Methodist Church was the center of much of her life where she spent countless hours in worship, Sunday School, committee involvement, choir, Women's Auxiliary, and cooking and serving fellowship dinners. The family would like to thank the amazing leadership and staff of Clover Hill Senior Living in Maryville, TN where she lived and was well-cared for the past five years; and Amedisys Hospice. The family will receive friends on Monday, December 20, 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Farrar Funeral Home (162 East Meeting Street) in Dandridge. The Celebration of her Life will be at Hills Union United Methodist Church (2483 Hills Chapel Road, Dandridge, TN) on Tuesday, December 21, 11:00 a.m., with The Reverends John Ramey and Sherri Franklin Officiating, and Pam Manning. Masks are welcome at each gathering. Interment will follow in the Hills Union Cemetery, with The Reverend Scott Robertson-Gouge officiating. ARRANGEMENTS BY FARRAR FUNERAL HOME, DANDRIDGE, TN