Elizabeth "Betsy" Maines Corlew

Elizabeth (Betsy) Maines Corlew, age 94, passed away on March 26, 2023. Betsy was born in Greensboro, North Carolina where her father worked as a Civil Engineer. She was a native of Knoxville and attended Old Knoxville High School and the University of Tennessee, where she was a member of the Alpha Omicron Pi sorority and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Education. She was a long-time member of St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral and served in the teaching, library, video production and Habitat for Humanity ministries. She also served as a Chapter member.

Betsy often told her children that her favorite years were as a homemaker raising her children, but circumstances required that she transition from that role in 1955. Betsy’s work experience began at Knoxville City Schools where she worked in guidance and testing for several years. She then performed similar work for the Knox County Schools for three years with Mildred Doyle. She was hired by the University of Tennessee as a secretary to Wiley Thomas, who was Director of the Cooperative Engineering program for engineering students desiring work experience while studying for their degrees. When Mr. Thomas returned to teaching, Betsy was named Director of the program.

In 1980 the University of Tennessee Commission for Women named her one of the “Women of Achievement”. She became the first female chairman of the Cooperative Education Division (CED) of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) and was the recipient of the 1988 Alva K. Borman Meritorious Service Award of the Society’s Cooperative Education Division. She also received the 1988 Clement J. Freund Award presented at the ASEE’s annual Conference. She credits the success of the University’s Cooperative Engineering program to Dean Charles E. Ferris and Wiley Thomas. In 1990 Betsy retired as Director of the program, leaving the position to her long-time assistant June Moore.

During her working years she enjoyed gardening at her home, hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains, working on video production for the St. John’s Sunday service broadcast and camping on Ocracoke Island. After her retirement she served as a volunteer in the Old Knoxville High School library, spent several years in the Knoxville Senior Tennis League with her friends Vera Claiborne and Bernie Levenson, enjoyed getting together with former engineering colleagues and participated in sailing activities at the Concord Yacht Club. She longed to travel to England to walk the footpaths of Hadrian’s Wall, but she remained in Knoxville to take care of her parents.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Thomas Richard Maines and Catharine Dooley Maines and her daughter, Elizabeth Jean (Becky) Corlew. She is survived by her daughters, Deborah Ann Corlew and Susan Maines Corlew.

A memorial service will be held for Betsy on Friday, April 14, 2023 at 1pm in the chapel at St. John's Cathedral.

In lieu of flowers, Betsy requested that contributions be made to the charitable, educational or religious institution of your choice.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.berryhighlandmemorial.com for the Corlew family.