"Betty" Irene Lintz Yates

"Betty" Irene Lintz Yates of Greeneville, TN passed away March 25, 20l4 at age 86. She was the much loved mother of Maurice Yates (Duluth, GA), Nancy Yates (Kennesaw, GA) and Judy Yates (Atlanta, GA) and wife of Maurice Yates, Jr (Greeneville, TN) who all will miss her tremendously.

Betty, a descendant of early Greene County settlers (Nehs or Neas, Lintz, Rausch, Ottinger), was born and raised in the Caney Branch community. She was the 3rd child and only daughter of Dewey and Laura Brigman Lintz; she was born June 9, 1927 at the family home near O & S Chapel. While her childhood may have been during the most difficult years of the depression, she recalled, "We always had plenty to eat, because we raised our own food on our farm. I never felt poor, and my aunts and uncles did well. One had a milliner shop, and another was a doctor in Parrottsville."

Betty's birth name was Irene Lintz, but she adopted the name "Betty" as a schoolgirl. She loved recalling her school days, her friends around the Parrottsville, Caney Branch and St. James communities. "We had to walk about a mile to school," she said, "and in the deep winter snow when I was really small, my older brothers, Luther and David, would walk in front to make holes in the snow, so I could step in them."

Another vivid memory was the radio broadcast of Orson Wells' "War of the Worlds" when a neighbor fearing a spaceship invasion broke her leg while running across their field to warn neighbors.

Betty was a firm believer in "working hard" to achieve one's goals, and she talked about "burning the midnight oil" in order to earn her position as Parrottsville High School valedictorian in the class of 1946. She moved on to her freshman year at Tusculum College where she met her future husband, Maurice M. Yates, Jr, in the Tusculum library. The library was the setting for many "study dates" which resulted in marriage in April 1947.

Betty transferred to the University of Tennessee (Knoxville) from which she was graduated with a degree in Home Economics and was elected into the Home Economics National Honor Society Omicron Nu. In 1958 she started teaching home economics to freshman girls and later added chemistry instruction for juniors at Greeneville High School. She always had entertaining stories of student bewilderment and creativity in the chemistry lab, and her students always told her they were well prepared for college chemistry.

She, together with other Greeneville and Greene County teachers, was instrumental in forming the Greeneville-Greene County Teachers Association, an organization active in teacher’s affairs. She served as the first President of the Association after formation.

After 22 years with the Greeneville City School System she retired and developed her keen interest in antiques as an antique consultant, and she with her husband, traveled extensively through the U.S. particularly east of the Mississippi river.

She is survived by her husband Maurice M. (Jimmy) Yates, Jr. of Greeneville and their three children, Judy Yates, Nancy Yates, and Maurice M. Yates III, a brother Luther Lintz, nephews Ronnie and Randy Lintz, of Greene County TN. Sister-in-Law Phyllis Lintz, nephews David and Duane Lintz, nieces, Diane

Lintz Orcutt, Denise Lintz Climie, Debbie Lintz Mangeria, Deidra Lintz Tharpe, Mary Kay Robinson Bearden, and Susan Robinson Craig, grandchildren Maurene Preas, Paul Liistro III, Stephanie Yates, and a great granddaughter, Erica Liistro. She is also survived by numerous generational descendants.

She was predeceased by her brother David Lintz of Pigeon Forge TN.

While everyone in her family will miss joyous times together we know the Heavens triumph in her arrival. See you there, Mom.

The family will receive friends from 7pm-9pm Friday at Kiser-Rose Hill Funeral Home.

The funeral service will be held at 11am Saturday at Kiser-Rose Hill Chapel with Rev. David Woody officiating.

Interment will follow in GreeneLawn Memory Gardens.

Much love, your children and husband, brother, nieces, nephew and sister-in-law.