Natalie Wharton

Natalie Bedoit Wharton, 94, of Chattanooga, passed away Tuesday, July 30, 2013.A lifelong resident of the Chattanooga area, she was the daughter of the late Edward and Natalie Wrightson Bedoit and was also preceded in death by her husband, Robert S. Wharton; and her brother, Ted Bedoit.She was a retired teacher from Hamilton County Schools with 25 years of service and attended the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). She was an avid gardener, reader, traveler and she loved nature. She served as a volunteer for READ and the Chattanooga Nature Center and had served as a Girl Scout leader. Natalie always gave sacrificially helping others.Survivors include three daughters, Natalie "Robbie" (Jim) Brown, Lakewood, Colo., Marcia W. (Jim) Fletcher, Ooltewah and Rebecca W. (Keith) Riggs, Cincinnati, Ohio; seven grandchildren, Robert Paul Brown, Natalie Shipley, Nathan Fletcher, Ellen Dunlap, Emily Wright, Austin Riggs and Liz Riggs; six great-grandchildren.The family request that memorial contributions may be made to the Wild Animal Sanctuary, 1946 Weld County Road 53, Keenesburg, CO 80643 or online at wildanimalsanctuarystore.com; Humane Educational Society of Chattanooga at heschatt.com or to the McKamey Animal Care and Adoption Center at mckameyanimalcenter.org.Graveside funeral services will be held at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at Lakewood Memory Gardens, East, with Pastor Paul Rebelo officiating.Please share your memories at ChattanoogaValleyViewChapel.com.The family will receive friends from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m. Saturday at the Valley View Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory & Florist, 7414 Old Lee Highway.