Teresa Jo Gardner Edmondson
A life well lived -- Teresa Jo Gardner Edmondson, 69, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, passed away on Sunday, November 24, 2024, and is now seeing Jesus face-to-face. What once was only known by faith, is now known by sight. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
Her life began in New Albany, Ms. on Aug. 9, 1955, as the daughter to Hugh Clark Gardner and Mary Caldwell Gardner. Growing up, Teresa lived with her family in Muscle Shoals, Al., Knoxville, Columbia, Tn., and finally settled in Chattanooga. As a child, Teresa was very outgoing and grew shyer as she matured. Teresa graduated from Columbia State Community College and later attended Union University. She taught school in Tupelo, MS immediately after but was offered a career opportunity with TVA. She happily retired from TVA after 28 years of service.
As a young teen, Teresa gave her life to Jesus and has had a solid, unwavering faith throughout her life. With her quiet nature and sweet smile, Teresa followed Christ’s example daily by the way she loved others, cared for her neighbors, had concern for the unnoticed, was always a willing volunteer and especially in how she loved her family. She was a dedicated member of Concord Baptist Church for fifty years where she sang in the choir, shared her home with her discipleship group, volunteered with the ESL Group and had gone on a mission trip to Miami, both which helped fulfill part of her lifelong dream to be a missionary. She was an avid Bible reader, loved a good word search puzzle, game show or a hand of solitaire. Teresa really enjoyed getting to spend more time with friends especially traveling in the last few years to the Caribbean and to Europe with her husband.
Teresa had her struggles in life but she wasn’t usually one to complain (unless she was too cold). She was tough as nails and had unmatched determination. She was as selfless in death as she was in life. Her last example of this was the request left in the back of her Bible. “I don’t want you to concentrate on my past life as much as on my future life (which is with the Lord).” Her joy was in knowing that her life was all for God’s glory!
She was preceded in death by her twin sister, Felicia Lee Gardner; her mother-in-law and father-in-law, Teddy and Betty Edmondson; and her beloved dog, Buster.
In addition to her parents, she will be deeply missed by her husband, Gary D. Edmondson, whom she loved and adored for over 33 years; her sister, Beth Tweed (Dennis); brother-in-law, Lynn Edmondson (Donna); four sisters-in-law, Phyllis Lowery (Jim); Kathy Cook (Bill), Gail Coppock (Gerald), and Diane Rose (Marion); nephews, Andrew Tweed (Cassi), Jeff Coppock, Kevin Coppock, and Darren Edmondson; nieces, Lauren McClure (Jeff) and Kayla Ridings (Dusty); great-nieces, Olivia Cameron, Tallulah Tweed, Magnolia Tweed, Clementine Tweed and Perrie Ridings; and great-nephews, Callahan Tweed, Sullivan Tweed, Garrett Coppock, and Ansel Ridings.
A Celebration of Life will be on Saturday, Nov. 30, at 2 p.m. at Heritage Chapel with Pastor David King officiating. Interment will follow at Hamilton Memorial Gardens.
Visitation will be Friday from 6-8 p.m. and Saturday from noon until the service hour at Heritage Funeral Home.
For those unable to attend live stream will be available.
Visit the online obituary www.heritagechattanooga.com to post tributes and share memories.
Arrangements by Heritage Funeral Home, East Brainerd Road.