Vivian Roberta Grantham

Vivian was born and raised in Epperson, Tennessee, the first of five children born to Robert and Ina (Witt) Jackson. After graduating from Tellico Plains High School in 1955, she moved to Knoxville where she worked as a counselor at Tennessee School for the Deaf. In 1958 she married Robert Grantham whom she had been writing letters to as a pen pal while he was in the U.S. Army stationed overseas. They settled in the Ball Camp Community where they raised their children: Michael, Linda and Janet. When her children were young, Vivian took Red Cross training and volunteered in the school clinic. After her children were older, she worked for the Mother’s Day Out program at First Baptist Church of Concord. She left her job to help her son, a single father, raise his children. She was an avid reader, enjoyed gardening and embroidery. Vivian was dedicated to her husband and family. She put their needs ahead of her own. She was at the hospital for the birth of all of her grandchildren and her first great-grandchild. She was a member of Black Oak Heights Baptist Church and Smoky Mountain Quilters of Tennessee. Vivian was preceded in death by her siblings, Robert Jackson and Geane Ayers. She is survived by her husband, Robert; children, Michael, Linda (Doug) DeFord and Janet (Robert) Wambach; grandchildren, Kimberly (Chris) Curl, Joshua (Keely) Grantham, Rebecca DeFord, Emily Wambach, Daniel DeFord and Zane DeFord; great-granddaughters, Tinsley Grantham and Amelia Curl; siblings, William (Elsie) Jackson and Willene (Jim) Gregory. Vivian was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic pancreatic cancer at the end of July and entered hospice care shortly thereafter. A celebration of life will be held on Thursday, October 5th at Inskip Baptist Church 4810 Rowan Road, Knoxville. Receiving of friends at 5:30 followed by service at 7 pm. In lieu of flowers, make a donation to a charity of your choice.