Obituary of Bernice Suddarth Pellegrin

Bernice Suddarth Pellegrin passed away April 6, 2022 peacefully at her home in Gallatin, Tennessee. 

Evelyn Bernice Suddarth was born on August 16, 1930 in the Belotes Bend area of Castalian Springs, Tennessee to Davis Walter Suddarth, Sr. and Bessie Belle Branham Suddarth.  She was preceded in death by her parents, her sister Dorothy Suddarth Maxey, her brother Walter Davis Suddarth, Jr. and her husband of fifty-two years Ernest Barton Pellegrin.

She is survived by her son John Pellegrin (Patty), daughters Jo Anne Pellegrin Sweatman (Jim) and Jean Pellegrin Hale (Danny); grandchildren Michael Pellegrin (Mandy), Jeffrey Smith, Stephanie Smith Gregory (Brack), Megan Hale Warner (Adam) and Lindsey Hale; great-grandchildren Wendell Pellegrin, Leo Smith, Emmy Gregory and Lilly Gregory.

Bernice attended a one-room schoolhouse in Belotes Bend until she went to high school in Gallatin.  Upon graduation from high school, she received degrees in home economics and secondary education from what was then Middle Tennessee State College where she graduated with honors.  Ever gracious and beautiful, she was crowned Miss MTSC.  Upon graduation, she taught high school in Gordonsville Tennessee and then married her husband Ernest whom she had met in college.  She then moved to San Antonio Texas while her husband was in the U.S. Air Force and taught school in the San Antonio area until the couple moved back to Gallatin.  Over the years, she taught typing, science and biology at Westmoreland High School, White House High School, Gallatin High School, Gallatin Junior High School and Knox Doss Junior High School.

After many years of teaching, she became materials supervisor for the Sumner County Board of Education.

She was a long time member of Gallatin First United Methodist Church; she attended and participated actively until she became physically unable to do so.

She was a devoted wife, loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother who always enjoyed her family.

             She enjoyed gardening, sewing, traveling and cooking elaborate meals for her family.  She was sometimes called a “human-doing”, not just a “human being.” 

            Visitation will be from 3:00pm – 7:00pm on Sunday April 10, 2022 at Family Heritage Funeral Home in Gallatin Tennessee and the funeral service will held on April 11, 2022 at 1:30pm at First United Methodist Church in Gallatin.  Visitation will also be held at the church prior to the service beginning at 12:00pm.  Interment will follow the service at Crestview Memory Gardens, with Michael Pellegrin, Jeffrey Smith, Danny Hale, Jim Sweatman, Adam Warner, and Brack Gregory serving as pallbearers.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Gallatin First United Methodist Church, 149 West Main Street, Gallatin, TN  37066.

            The obituary was lovingly written by the family.  Online condolences may be submitted at familyheritagefh.com.  Family Heritage Funeral Home has been honored to assist the family.