Betty Ann Brady

Betty Ann Gilliam Brady (81) of Spring City and Grandview Tennessee went Home to be with her Heavenly Father on Sunday February 26, 2023. She was born on September 16th, 1941 to Arthur James Gilliam and Della Mae Garner Gilliam. Betty and her husband Lawrence Lee Brady Sr. loved and annoyed each other for 51 years. She was an old-school Mom and Granny with a hickory in one hand and a Bible in the other. She suffered from dementia in her final stages of life, but she was still a feisty southern woman with a passion for the Lord and gospel music. She loved to cook for others and you could always count on a delicious made-from-scratch gravy and biscuit breakfast, and a good ole' pot of beans, cornbread and fried taters or fried fish for supper and an ice cream cone for dessert. Speaking of fishing, being out on a boat sunbathing while fishing was her happy place. She stayed busy raising 8 children, 2 step-children, 19 grandchildren and 46 great-grandchildren and had little to no spare time. This woman was a traveling, road-running, get-in-the-car-and-drive kinda gal. For over 40 years, she traveled by car or 18-wheeler through most of the United States and even into Canada and she did eventually leave the country to visit Japan once. And yes, she did drive an 18-wheeler along side her husband, from time to time. It doesn't matter who went to the Heavenly Home before her or will go after her, all that matters is she walks with no limp in Heaven now, and she has the meaning of life figured out while we are all still stuck here asking the same questions. Children: Wesley Eugene McDonald, Anna Delphine Bennett, Linda Kaye Dupree, Joyce Mae Nicola, Freida Gayle McDonald, Teresa Jane McDonald, Jamie Denise Gentry, Cora Sue Guthrie, Lawrence Lee Brady II (Terri), Billie Joan Brady. Grandchildren: Tamra Dean, Jada Burke, Jerry Gray, Chrissy McKinney, Donald Craig Bennett, Tiffany Durham, Stephen Ryan Jones, Eric Shane Jones, Gentry Kyle Jones, Derek Miglia, Amanda Paige Finchum, Chris Brady, Eric Burum, Gregory Brady, Shawn Yoder, Wayne Yoder, Melissa Yoder and Hope Yoder. She will return to ash by cremation and there will be no funeral services; she just wanted her life to be celebrated and remembered by those who loved her in life. You are encouraged to share a memory of Betty and/or your personal condolences with her family by visiting her memorial webpage and guestbook at www.companionfunerals.com. Companion Funeral Home of Athens is honored to assist her family with these arrangements.