Ms. Betty Eveyln Rich Tatum was born in Wayne County, TN to the late Cemon Rich and Emma Jean Risner Rich on August 25, 1947. She would spend her childhood, attending and graduating high school in Collinwood, TN. Ms. Tatum would later marry Mr. Harold A. Tatum on December 23, 1966 with whom she would remain married until his passing on June 12, 2018. Ms. Betty together with her husband would make Waynesboro, TN their home raising children, and attending the Calvary Baptist Church in Waynesboro. She and her husband possessed a passionate love for children as they would open their home to foster less fortunate children, raising and loving them as their own. As their family grew, Ms. Tatum would also supplement the family income by working in several different positions over the years to ensure her large family was well provided for. She worked in the garment industry, the culinary arts as a wedding cake baker and other jobs she might pick up along the way. In her leisure time she loved caring for her flower garden and lawn landscape. She enjoyed working the earth with her hands and excelled in that vocation as her flowers were unsurpassed in beauty. She will be remembered by those who knew her as a deeply devoted wife, mother and Christian and her presence will be greatly missed by all who loved her . Ms. Betty Evelyn Rich Tatum passed from this life at her home surrounded by family to be with the Lord and those who preceded her in death on August 19, 2024, making her stay o this earth some 76 years, 11 months and 25 days.
She is survived by daughters Sherry Tatum Sherrill and husband Dwight of Collinwood, TN ;Alisha Wilson and Aubrey Tatum both of Waynesboro, TN; son Dustin Tatum of Clifton, TN
2 sisters and 4 brothers; grandchildren Derek Sherill of Collinwood, TN; Daekon Sherrill and wife Katyln of Russellville, AL; Carter Smith of Waynesboro, TN and Cayden Smith of Hohenwald, TN great-grandchildren Kolton and Scarlett
In addition to her parents and husband she was preceded in death by brothers Randy Rich and David Rich
Grave side services will be held on Wednesday August 21, 2024, at 6:30 pm at the North Highland cemetery in Waynesboro, TN
The family requests in lieu of flowers memorial donations be given to the Butterfly Foundation or St. Jude’s.
