Beulah "Bea" (Cotton) Barnett

Beulah Cotton Barnett was born on September 2, 1927, in Oneida, Tennessee, to Wayne and Melda Keeton Cotton. As the youngest of nine siblings, she quickly realized that to survive she would need a personality as big as her family. And that, she certainly had.

Her talent for befriending and persuading just about anyone showed up early. At just 16, she talked her way into a secretary position at Y-12. Did she stretch the truth about her age? Maybe. But according to Bea, the only other option was heading back to Oneida to work at the soda fountain — definitely not in her life plan at that time. And if Bea imagined something, she almost always found a way to make it happen.

After graduating from Oneida High School in 1942, she was ready to explore the world. Her sense of adventure took her to Fort LeJeune, North Carolina, where she worked for the U.S. Marine Corps and opened her first antiques shop — the start of a lifelong love affair with history and treasures. One of her proudest achievements was serving her country as a secretary in the Marine Corps for five years until 1970.

Eventually, all roads led back to her beloved East Tennessee. Bea had a natural gift for friendship — distance didn’t matter. She loved her people fiercely and welcomed everyone with open arms. She loved a good party, and while nothing in her home was ever rushed, you could count on everything being just right. Whether it was a birthday bash or one of her legendary Christmas parties, you knew you were in for a memorable time.

Her life changed again when she returned to Y-12 in Oak Ridge. There, she met Jim Barnett. Recently widowed, Jim had known Bea through work and spent months persistently asking her out before she finally agreed to go on a drive with him. That drive turned into a courtship that led to their wedding in 1981. Over their 15 years together, they traveled the world and filled their lives with adventure and laughter. When Jim passed in 1996, Bea stayed fiercely independent. She built a new home, embraced single life, and continued to be the heart of her community.

Years later, a tall, stately gentleman walked into her antique store — and while all the women there took notice, his eyes were only on her. True to Bea’s style, nothing happened quickly. After a seven-year courtship, they finally married in a mountainside chapel on February 9, 2006. Over the next 18 years, they ran their antiques business, cheered on their Tennessee Vols (win or lose), and had regular date nights, especially at Gettysvue Country Club, which became a second home to them.

Some of Bea’s favorite things included hosting Christmas parties that felt like scenes from a movie, tracking down Hallmark ornaments like prized artifacts, and meticulously planning her antique inventory at Nostalgia and Bearden Antique Mall — right up to the very end. She was deeply connected to her extended family of stepchildren, nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, and an ever-growing circle of dear friends.

Bea was endlessly grateful to the doctors and staff who cared for her and her loved ones over the years. She especially loved surprising them each holiday season with scarves, gleefully anticipating how they would react when they saw the color that she had carefully picked out. Despite being a two-time cancer survivor, she retained an incredible energy and passion for life.

Bea will be remembered as an extraordinary aunt, a devoted wife, and a woman who lived life with sparkle, strength, and spunk. She had a knack for having a story for almost every situation and could recount with incredible precision details from decades ago. She made everything a little more beautiful, and everyone she met, she made feel like family. She will be deeply missed, but her spirit will continue to light up every room she ever touched.

Bea is survived by step-sons, Mark Barnett of Jackson TN, George (Camille) Horihan of Staten Island, NY, Chris (Nancy) Horihan of Morrisville, PA and Mike (Mary) Horihan of Ashburn, VA.; grandchildren, Mark, Emily (Eddie), Jacob (Danielle), George Matthew, Logan, Kyle (Allison), Alexandra, Mark and Dominic; great-granddaughter, Kendall; goddaughter, Mari Groves, as well as great-nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her brothers, Delbert Cotton, Fred Cotton, Arville Cotton, Milford Cotton, and Archie Cotton as well as her sisters, Ivy West, Eva Buttram, Lula West, and Mertie Martin. She was also preceded in death by her husbands, Jim Barnett and Mel Horihan.

The family will be receiving friends on Monday, July 7, 2025 from noon until 2:00pm in the Westwood Chapel at Berry Highland Memorial Funeral Home, 5315 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919, followed by a funeral service at 2:00pm. A graveside service will conclude at 3:00pm inside Berry Highland Memorial Cemetery a short distance away (on the grounds).

All are invited, afterwards, to join us for light refreshments at Gettysvue Country Club, 9317 Linksvue Dr. Knoxville, TN 37922 following the service.

Services will be livestreamed through Berry Highland Memorial's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/BerryHighland/