Verna Ruth Abbott

Verna Ruth Abbott, 83, of Kingsport, died peacefully Wednesday evening, July 1, 2009, at Wexford House. Born July 4, 1925, in Shawnee, OK, she devoted her life to her family, friends, teaching and as an advocate of public education.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Lowell W. Abbott; her mother, Gladys Webb; and her aunt, Lena Call.

She and her husband moved to Kingsport in 1950. She graduated from East Tennessee State University cum laude in 1966. Mrs. Abbott taught at Dobyns-Bennett High School for 27 years. She was Audio-Visual Coordinator at Dobyns-Bennett from 1966-1978, developing the first television-speech program in the state of Tennessee. As a pioneer woman broadcaster at KGFF, Shawnee, OK, during WWII, and a radio broadcaster in education at the University of Oklahoma, she was one of the first women broadcasters in the field.

From 1978-1993, Mrs. Abbott taught American History and American Government at Dobyns-Bennett High School and considered teaching the U.S. Constitution as one of her proudest achievements. She was also Domestic Exchange Sponsor at Dobyns-Bennett and President of the Kingsport Education Association. After retirement, she served eight years on the Kingsport City Schools Board of Education, serving four years as Vice-President. She was honored as Outstanding Teacher of the Year by the Long Island Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution for 1986-87, and named as Outstanding School Board Member by the Tennessee Congress of Parents and Teachers in 1996-97. She was recognized in Who's Who in American Women in 2000.

Mrs. Abbott was Co-President of the Retired Teacher's Association, member of the Long Island Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution, the American Association of University Women, the Netherland Inn Association, and a volunteer for Meals on Wheels. As a member of First Baptist Church, she taught Sunday School and was the first church historian.

Her family members are Priscilla and Danny Redwine and their daughters, Catherine and Sarah Bedingfield and husband Brandon; Patricia Abbott and her daughter, Veronica Vann, all of Kingsport; Carlin and Carol Abbott and children Darren and Marisa, all of Toledo, OH; and a niece, Cheryl Huff of Detroit, MI.

The family will receive friends on Sunday from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Hamlett-Dobson Funeral Homes, Kingsport or anytime at the home of the daughter, Priscilla Redwine.

Funeral services will be held on Monday at 1:00 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Kingsport with Dr. Marvin Cameron, Dr. Ron Davis, and Rev. Mitchell M. Whisnant officiating. Burial will follow at Oak Hill Memorial Park. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Kingsport Retired Teachers Association.

The family would like to offer a special thank you to the staff of Wexford House and special friends at Wexford house, Mara Branham, Cansada Long, and Sue Kilgore for their loving kindness, care, and friendship.

Memorials may be given to the Scholarship Fund of the Kingsport Retired Teachers Association; 1701 E Center Street; Kingsport, TN 37664; the Wellmont Holston Valley Medical Center Foundation; or the Dobyns-Bennett Alumni Foundation.