Elizabeth Thomas Varnedoe

Mrs. Varnedoe was born in Staten Island, New York to Herbert and Elizabeth Thomas. She loved to go hiking and caving, to play softball, and to garden. She was a longtime member of Calvary Bible Church, Huntsville, AL, Green Mountain Volunteer Fire Department, Huntsville Grotto of the National Speleological Society, and Land Trust of Huntsville and Madison County.

She earned a degree in Physics from Maryville College in Tennessee, using her knowledge to work for the Atomic Energy Commission in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. She was an engineer at the U.S. Army Ballistic Missile Agency on the Redstone Missile Program, and later at Dynetics in Huntsville, Alabama.

Survivors include her husband, William W. Varnedoe Jr.; children, Sharon Rudd (Roy), Frank Varnedoe (Barbara), John Varnedoe (Donna) and Ker Thomas Varnedoe; eight grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents and sister, Jane Clevenger.

A Memorial Service will be held later in Huntsville.

Who am I?

I was born in New York, but grew up in and attended school in Florida. I graduated from college at Maryville, in Tennessee.

I was married to Bill for 65 years. We have 4 children, 8 grandchildren, and 3 great-grandchildren.

1) I am a retired Engineer. I worked for the Army (Army Ballistic Missile Agency) in missile development and then as a Systems Engineer at Dynetics.

2) Firefighter. I was the first female to receive the Certified Firefighter Certificate issued by the Alabama State Fire Board.

3) Emergency Medical Technician. I served as an EMT in the Green Mountain Volunteer Fire Department for over twenty years.

4) Traveler & Hiker. I traveled widely with my husband. I traveled and hiked, both in the US and in all continents. We generally visited off-the-beaten-path places, including both sides of Mount Everest. There is a trail on the Huntsville and North Alabama Land Trust property named The Varnedoe Trail.

5) Caver. I caved (spelunked) throughout North Alabama for many years.

6) Softball Player. I played on the Dynetics coed team for 20 years as their catcher.

~ Autobiography by (Elizabeth) Louise Varnedoe