Kathleen B. Craven

She attended Chattanooga Public Schools and graduated from the University of Chattanooga with a B.S. degree in Education. She was employed by Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Tennessee in Chattanooga before her teaching tenure began at Cedar Hill Elementary School in Chattanooga, teaching 1st and 4th grades. After raising her children, she returned to the work force where she worked for the Changed Lives ministry. She returned to her first love, education, and she taught remedial reading at Snow Hill Elementary and then finished her 26 year teaching career at White Oak Elementary School. She thoroughly enjoyed teaching elementary students. She was an active member of the NEA, TEA and HCEA professional education associations.

After retirement from the Hamilton County School system, she began volunteering with her husband, Jay Craven, at Memorial Hospital. She was a member of the Volunteer Auxillary Board for many years, Fundraising Co-Chair (raising thousands of dollars each year) and the editor of the newsletter, The Cheerio Chats. In October 2003, the Memorial Health Care System honored Kathleen and her husband with the “2003 Humanitarian Award” to acknowledge their unique contributions to the community and their personal commitment to Memorial’s Mission to provide the Healing Ministry of Christ in health care for the total person. She retired from volunteering at the hospital in 2015 after serving 35 years and donating more than 8,137 volunteer hours.

She and Jay were close friends with all the Sisters of Charity Nazareth, but especially Sisters, Thomas de Sales, Judy Raley, Celine Osborne, Betty Vannucci. They stayed in touch with the Sisters and made many trips to visit the Motherhouse in Nazareth, KY.

She was an amazing and strong faith filled woman. Her love for God, her family, her friends and her pets were paramount and evident in all she did. She also loved her service at Memorial and treasured the many friendships made there. Kathleen was one of the most dedicated of volunteers and always spoke up to share her ideas. Her focus was always on how to help those in need and how to better serve her patients. She was also great at sending cards of inspiration to so many people, volunteers and staff as well as retired volunteers and staff, just to let them know she cared and was thinking of them and keeping them in prayer. She blessed many people with her thoughtfulness. She also enjoyed gardening and enjoying the flowers of her labor.

Kathleen was an active member of First Presbyterian Church and was a children’s Sunday school teacher there for 32 years. Prior to coming to First Presbyterian Church, she was a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church and taught in the Sunday school Department for 25 years.

She was predeceased by her parents, Louis Bernard Bender and Kathlyn Heiskell Bender and her husband of 66 years, James (Jay) M. Craven.

Survivors are her son Dr. James M. Craven, Jr (Mary Beth) of Ooltewah, daughter Resha A. Oliphant (Ed) of Smyrna, TN and three grandchildren, Rachael Kathleen Craven and James M. Craven III of Chattanooga and Corinne Chablis Oliphant of Knoxville.

The family would like to thank the wonderful staff at Life Care Center of Ooltewah for the care and love you provided to our mother for the last 4 years. We would also like to thank her various sitters over the last few years, Bea Hughes, Faye Bledsoe and Rachael Childress. You all are special.

The family will receive friends from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 10, 2021 in the Valley View Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home.

A graveside service will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 10, 2021 at Forest Hills Cemetery with Pastor Dick Fisher officiating.

Donations in lieu of flowers should be sent to:

Pet Placement Center

5975 Dayton Blvd.

Chattanooga, TN 37415

McKamey Animal Center

4500 North Access Rd.

Chattanooga, TN 37415

Humane Educational Society

4155 Randolph Circle

Chattanooga, TN 37406

Please share your thoughts and memories at: www.ChattanoogaValleyViewChapel.com

Arrangements are under the care of Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory & Florist, Valley View Chapel, 7414 Old Lee Highway, Chattanooga, TN, 37421.