LaVerne Grace Dodd

Laverne Dodd, beloved mother and grandmother, passed away peacefully on April 13 at the age of 93, surrounded by her family. She will be remembered for her selfless attention to others’ needs and her deep devotion to her family. She was born in 1925 in Madison, TN, and later settled down there to raise her four sons. As a single mother, she worked two jobs and strove tirelessly to give her boys the best upbringing possible. Her sons thought she was the coolest Mom, and so did everyone else. She was always happy and smiling and worked to make what could have been a hard life fun for her kids—such as by making every Christmas special and taking the family to the beach and state parks. She always took things in stride, and had a serene elegance and a keen sense of style. After her sons were grown and had children of their own, she moved from Madison to Maryville to live with her youngest son, his wife, and their two daughters, who adored having their grandmother live with them. She was so creative and fun, always inventing craft projects for them to work on and playing games with them. She loved nature, and spent hours tending to the garden and relaxing on her porch with the family dogs. She continued to live with the family until her death and was visited frequently by her other family members. She brought much joy to the lives of everyone around her and will be deeply missed. She is survived by three of her sons and their wives—Johnny and Martha, Randy and Donna, and Doug and Susan—along with her grandchildren Will, Alan, Matthew, Hope, Hannah, and Rosemary, and their spouses and children. She is also survived by her brother, Billy Wilson, his wife, Beverly, her daughter-in-law Patty Morton, bother-in-law Jan Rushing and several nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her beloved son Bobby and sister Patsy. Smith Funeral & Cremation Service, Maryville, 865-983-1000, www.SmithFuneralandCremation.com. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of LaVerne Grace Dodd please visit our Sympathy Store.