Anna Bingham Chester

Anna Bingham Chester May 9, 2008 Anna Bingham Chester of Sweetwater passed away at Sweetwater Hospital on Friday May 9. She was born January 31, 1921 in Boone, NC & moved at an early age to Knoxville, TN. She was a graduate of The University of Tennessee at Knoxville, where she majored in Home Economics and participated as an active member of the Phi Mu sorority. She began her teaching career in Chillicothe, Ohio where she taught Home Economics for 5 years. Later she and her husband moved to Tennessee, where she served as head of the dietary department for The Knoxville General Hospital for 7 years. Coming to the Sweetwater Valley in the early 50's, she taught Home Economics at Englewood High School before transferring to the Sweetwater City Schools, teaching Tennessee History. She was awarded the Tennessee Colonel Award by Gov. Lamar Alexander in recognition of the Tennessee History scrapbook project she required of her students each school year. She completed 37 years in the public schools before retirement. Preceded in death by parents: Dr. L.R. and Sadie Somers Bingham; husband, Fredric John Chester & son Fredric John Chester Jr.; brothers, Joe Bingham and Charles Bingham; sister, Margaret Bingham; Survivors include: Son and daughter-in-law, Charles (Chad) & Margaret Chester, daughter Rebecca Ann Chester, all of Sweetwater, daughter-in-law, Pat Chester of Athens; sister, Bettie Anderson, brother; Reaves Bingham, sister-in-law JoAnn Bingham, all of Knoxville, several nieces & nephews. Grandchildren: Fredric John Chester III (Mary Margaret) of Martin TN, Alice Ann Chester Yeargin (Jay) of Greenfield, TN, Charles Andrew Chester of Parrish, FL, Thomas Reaves Chester of Martin, TN, Anna Becca Chester and Mary Beth Chester of Sweetwater, Great Grandchildren: Mary Anna Chester and Lake Elliott Chester of Martin, TN. The family will receive friends at Kyker Funeral home on Monday May 12, from 6:00 to 8:00. The funeral will be 11:00 a.m. Tuesday at the First Presbyterian Church, with The Reverend Ted Baker and The Reverend Michael Bingham officiating. Interment will follow in the Sweetwater Valley Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers the family request that memorials be made to Sweetwater Education Foundation or to First Presbyterian Church of Sweetwater.