Pamela Jean Tolliver Painter

May 31, 1951-September 28, 2021

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,

goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Galatians 5:22-23

Pamela Jean Tolliver Painter went to be with her Lord on September 28, 2021 after losing her fight with an acute illness. She was surrounded by family members to whom she devoted her life and

who loved her completely.

Pam lived her life for God and family. She devoted every day of her life to caring for and loving her four children, fifteen grandchildren, and two and two-thirds great grandchildren. They all knew the warmth and strength of Pam’s love. They not only loved her back; they learned from her how to love others. Pam particularly cared for her very special heart and soul, Alasca, her first grandchild, who preceded her in death in 2020. Although everyone knew Pam held a special place in her heart for Alasca, Pam had a remarkable way of making everyone feel special and uniquely loved by her. She was the glue of a very large family.

But Pam’s love was not limited to family. She shared her love with countless friends, having an enormous impact on their lives and the lives of their children. She was a second mom to many -- it has been said that she reared most of Bloomingdale. She never met a child she couldn’t charm or a baby she couldn’t calm.

Pam was a happy person by nature. She had an infectious laugh and greeted everyone she met with a genuine smile. Pam enjoyed life and was blessed with the gift of experiencing joy and laughter in almost any situation. But she was happiest when with members of her family, and since that was almost every day, she lived a happy life indeed.

After graduating from Lynn View High School, she spent her professional career caring for others, first as a day care operator and then as the secretary to Pediatrics and NICU at Holston Valley Community Hospital. She was a member of Higher Ground Baptist Church in Kingsport.

Pam was preceded in death by her mother, Jean Bush White; her fathers, Judd Tolliver and C.A. White; and her granddaughter, Alasca Painter. She is survived by her four children and their spouses, Amber Painter Price, Kingsport; Jarrett Painter and his wife, Neeli, Telford; Shannon Painter, and his wife April, Kingsport; and Tasha Painter Harris and her husband, Kevin, Clayton, NC; her fourteen grandchildren, Chanley Vengchiem (Jacob Vengchiem), Carley McClure; Harlie Painter, Reese Painter, Oaklyn Painter, Jayden Cole Link; Jayden Painter, Judson Painter, Seth Strickler, Kendalyn Peters, Emileigh Peters, Abbey Peters; Jacy Harris and Kaiden Harris; her great grandchildren, Scarlett Vengchiem, Harrison Vengchiem, and Baby Vengchiem; and her sister, Penny White (Mike Okun), Knoxville.

The family will celebrate Pam’s life and the life of her granddaughter, Alasca, on Saturday, October 23, from 2-4 p.m. in the Family Life Center, Higher Ground Baptist Church, 1625 Lynn Garden Drive, Kingsport.