Malinda Blankenship Torbett
Malinda Blankenship Torbett, 73, died peacefully in her sleep at her home on June 19, 2025.
She grew up in Madisonville, Tn., where she graduated from Madisonville High School. She attended the University of Tennessee-Knoxville where she earned her BS and MS degrees in Elementary Education. While at UT she was very active in dorm life, student government, and especially ALL-Sing, where she met her future husband, David. After graduation she taught in the Fulton County, Ga., Athens, Tn., and Knoxville City School Systems before changing her career path to becoming a stay at home Mom to Russell and then Philip. Later in life she resumed her paid teaching career as an adjunct professor at UT-Chattanooga and then again as a teacher at Dayton, City Schools and Catoosa County, Ga. schools, from where she retired.
Throughout her life she remained involved in many activities. Special among them were her involvement in numerous church activities (especially Family Promise and Missions), Valamont Woman’s Club (especially in environmental protection and improvement projects and most recently with the Chattanooga Homeless Chorus), and being involved in government activities in her work with the Hamilton County TN Election Commission.
She was an excellent cook and avid sewer, belonging to several sewing and quilting groups. She enjoyed her numerous friends in the retired teachers’ association. She enjoyed traveling having visited Mexico, the Bahamas, Europe, Canada, Hong Kong, China, Hawaii, Alaska, California, and many other states. She was always ready to visit New York City whenever she could. But her special traveling enjoyment was her times at the beach in New Smyrna Beach, FL, with her family and friends, especially “the Beach Girls.”
Most of all Malinda was a loving, caring person who could light up a room with her great smile and who gave of herself to others—family, friends, strangers, those in need. Whoever she came across that she thought could use her help she tried to help. She had a multitude of friends who cared about her because of how and who she was.
She was predeceased at a young age by her parents, Neville and Joyce Brakebill Blankenship, several Aunts and Uncles, and, later in life, special cousin Johanna Jett McGlothlin and Brother-in-Law Joe Thoresen.
She is survived by her husband of 48 years, David, and sons Russell and Philip (Jen), her two grandsons Carter and Miller, sister Joyce Osborne “Oz” Thoresen, brothers Bill (Pat), David (Kathy), and Bert (Donna) Blankenship, special cousins Julia Jett (Allen) Reedy and Burch (Nancy) Jett, Brother-in-Law John (Viddia) Torbett, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and other family members including David’s Aunts and cousins whom she loved as her own.
A Celebration of Her Life event followed by a reception is planned for 3 p.m. on Sunday, July 13, at Tyner United Methodist Church, 6805 Standifer Gap Road, Chattanooga, Tn. 37421. Because she loved flowers so much in life, Malinda requested that none be sent upon her death.
Instead, she requested any memorial gifts be sent to Tyner United Methodist Church at the address above.