Zellarhea Sheets

Zellarhea Gertrude Tester Sheets, 86, passed away peacefully on Monday, March 27, 2023 with her son by her side. Zellarhea, often told she had “the most beautiful name,” was known by her friends and family as Zee, Zella, Trudy, Mom, and Mam-maw. Zellarhea was born in Neva,
Tennessee on September 7, 1936 to the late Clyde and Opal Garland Tester. She was saved at age 8, and was later baptized in Roan Creek and attended Pleasant Grove Baptist Church. She was very close to her family, including her late brother, Dwight Tester. She had fond memories of playing in the creek, swinging on grape vines, and eating apples with her brother on the old rock fence, visiting her relatives who lived nearby, and hanging out with her high school friends. One of her closest friends still remembers their visits to Courtesy Drug and Peoples Drug in
Mountain City where they often gathered. Depending on how much money was available, they would buy 2 hot dogs and cherry cola for a quarter, a grilled doughnut with ice cream in the middle for a dime, or play 6 songs on the jukebox for a nickel.

Following graduation from Johnson County High School in 1955, Zellarhea had several employment opportunities with the Federal Bureau of Investigations and Food and Drug Administration in Washington D.C.; Palmetto Life Insurance in Orangeburg, SC; US Department of Agriculture in Columbia, SC; and the Social Security Administration in Tampa, FL and Charleston, SC.

In 1971, Zellarhea moved to Morganton, NC where she worked for 25 years as a data entry specialist for the Burke County Department of Social Services. She was a member of Amherst Baptist Church and enjoyed singing in the church choir. She was married to Marvin Sheets from 1971 until his death in 1994. In 1975, she gave birth to her only son, Christopher Sheets. She remarried in 1998 to the late Frank Hammons of Bluff City, TN. In 2012, she moved to Maryville, TN to be closer to her family.

Some notable life experiences included delivering mail to J. Edgar Hoover while working for the FBI and seeing Presidents Kennedy and Johnson and the first 7 astronauts during her time in Washington DC, being asked to sing with Andy Williams, seeing Elvis Presley perform at Freedom Hall in Johnson City, TN, and meeting Coach K and seeing him win his final national championship while coaching Duke in 2015.
Her passions included singing, reading, watching Duke basketball and Tennessee football, and spending time with her beautiful grandchildren.
She loved traveling with her family including visits to Florida, California, Hawaii, Europe, and Alaska. She always looked forward to her annual high school reunions with her classmates.

Survivors include Christopher Sheets; daughter-in-law, Kristen Sheets; grandchildren Emma and Liam Sheets, all of Maryville, TN, and many beloved nephews, nieces, cousins, and friends.

The family will receive friends from 3 -3:30 pm on Friday, March 31, 2023 at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Mountain City, Tennessee with service to follow, with Thomas Herman officiating. The burial will follow the service at Pleasant Grove Cemetery in Mountain City, Tennessee.

The family would like to recognize Sacred Ground Hospice House for their exceptional kindness and compassion during the last two weeks of her life. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Parkinson’s disease research, Sacred Ground Hospice House in Knoxville, TN, Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Mountain City, TN, or Amherst Baptist Church in Morganton, NC.

Online condolences may be sent to the family through our website at www.huxlipfordfh.com

Professional services are being provided by Hux & Lipford Funeral Home 300 West main Street, Mountain City, TN 37683