DOB: 5.22.1925 DOD: 11.20.2023
Anna Ruth Vannoy Bolton passed peacefully in her sleep at Liberty Assisted Living in Maryville, Tennessee on November 20, 2023. She was born May 22, 1925 and lived her 98 ½ years with a smile on her face. The daughter of JC Vannoy and Molly Laymon Vannoy, Anna had 6 siblings - Mattie Bolton (Leonard), Hubert Vannoy (Myrtle), Joseph Vannoy (Irene), Edna Bullard (Jess), Edyth Vannoy and Willie Vannoy. She was the final sibling to leave us. As matriarch of our family - both immediate and extended, she exemplified the meaning of love and devotion to family.
Anna graduated from Lincoln Memorial University with a degree in education, specializing in English and Home Economics. She taught school for 30 years until she retired from her last school, Friendsville High School in Friendsville, Tennessee. Her example as a teacher was impressive. Even today, we, her children, continue to meet some of her former students and each and every one of them all praise her highly.
Anna married her childhood sweetheart, John Winster Bolton, on December 22, 1950. They had 4 children: Teresa Yvonne Bolton, Vicki Jo Bolton Durand (Steven), Vann Michael Bolton (Joyce) and Sheila Yvette Bolton Merritt (Terry). Mom, (“Ludie Mae”, as Vicki called her and “Meemie”, as her grandchildren called her) was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, daughter, cousin and aunt. She had 10 grandchildren: Leslie Kilgore (Justin), Daniel Durand (Maggie), Stephanie Durand, Anna Sturm (Joey), John Bolton (Brooklyn), Alicia Cowan, Jeremy Cowan, Dustin Merritt (Teycee), Tara Kimsey (Kat) and Caylie Merritt. Her 12 great-grandchildren are Blake Kilgore, Kaleb Kilgore, Skylar Durand, Harper Sturm, Jackson Sturm, Kayla Cowan, Jaycie Cowan, Myka Merritt, Colson Merritt, Nora Kimsey, Kipton Kimsey and Nellie Ruth Kimsey.
Anna was a talented artist and loved creating and teaching crafts of all kinds with her favorite crafts being decoupage and pottery. She was even interviewed on a local news station in her late eighties to explain the process of decoupage. She made churches, Christmas ornaments, ceramic Christmas trees of several sizes, Christmas decoupage plates, bowls and vases.
One of her favorite things to do was to sew wedding dresses. She sewed a total of 7 wedding dresses over the years for her 3 daughters, 3 nieces and a close family friend. They were all beautiful and unique.
Most of her family gathered around her in her final hours to celebrate her life and to spend her final hours being kissed and loved. She told each of them she loved them and kissed each one. It was a very special time. Then she passed peacefully in her sleep to be with Jesus and to re-join the love of her life - Winster. She will be missed.
Anna was a member of East Maryville Baptist Church for over 65 years and enjoyed her Sunday School class for all of those years and still has many friends who still participate in the class.
Services will be held at Coffey Funeral Home in Tazewell, Tennessee on Friday, November 24th at 1 PM with a receiving of friends preceding starting at 11 AM, and internment will immediately follow at Greers Chapel cemetery in Harrogate, Tennessee. All friends and family are welcome to attend.
Minister: Chris Edmonds
Obituary: Justin Kilgore
Vicki Durand will be reading a tribute to her mom
Pallbearers: Justin Kilgore, Blake Kilgore, Kaleb Kilgore, Dustin Merritt, Kat Kimsey, and Joey Sturm
Honorary Pallbearers: Terry Merritt, Steve Durand, and John Bolton
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.coffeyfh.com for the Bolton family.
