Virginia Verle Vassey Jett

Virginia Verle Vassey Jett, age 99 made a peaceful transition to her Heavenly Father on May 18, 2015. For the past 4 years , she has been lovingly cared for at Shannondale of Maryville. Prior to that, she lived at Morning View Village. Virginia is survived by her two daughters: Jenny Lind Jett Erwin of Anthem, AZ and Martha Joan Jett Jones of Burlingame, CA. She has four grandchildrenDouglas Erwin, Christopher, Nathan and Carrie Jones, plus 2 great grandchildrenDylan and Wyatt Erwin. She was preceded in death by her husband, Roland Edward Jett, her parents, and 7 brothers and sisters. Virginia was born at home in Chesnee, SC and moved with her family when she was 8 to Prosperity Dairy Farm outside of Cleveland, TN. She attended Bob Jones College, Tennessee Wesleyan, and graduated from UT Knoxville. She has lived in the Maryville area since 1937 when she began teaching second grade at Springbrook Elementary School in Alcoa. In November, 1942, she married Roland Jett, whose family owned Jett Firestone at Five Points. All too soon her husband was sent to New Guinea as an Army technical sergeant and served more than 30 months in the Pacific during WWII. During the war, Virginia helped with enlistee registration and ration activities. She also supported the war effort through purchase of War Bonds and sent frequent letters and packages to boost her soldier husband's morale. When he returned to Maryville in December 1945 they started their family and began their active family and community life. After raising their daughters, Virginia returned to teaching, first at Fort Craig and then at John Sevier Elementary. She loved Maryville and was active in a variety of organizations including Chilhowee Club, AARP, Maryville Retired Teachers Association and bridge clubs. She was a long time member of First Baptist Church of Maryville, active in Circle, WMU and sang in the choir for over 30 years. Virginia had a smile that could light up a room, a caring, gentle spirit that was always eager to help others and a fun outgoing persona that truly loved people. The family will receive friends from 10-11:00 a.m. Thursday at McCammon-Ammons-Click Funeral Home. Funeral services will follow at 11:00 a.m. with Chaplain Renee Willingham officiating. The interment will follow at Grandview Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Maryville College, "The Women of Courage Scholarship Fund" 502 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway, Maryville, TN 37804 Attn Darla Kaufman or Maryville First Baptist Church.