Helen Etter

Helen Gross Etter, 94, of Red Bank, passed away Monday, Dec. 16, 2013. She was born in Sale Creek in 1919 and moved to Red Bank a few years later. She joined Red Bank Baptist Church as a child and was a member the rest of her life. At the church, she was a member of the Electa Sunday School Class and the Sanctuary choir. In later life, she was an active member of the Senior Adults and the Primetime Singers. She also did extensive volunteer work in the church library. She graduated from Red Bank Elementary in 1932 and enrolled in Central High as a 9th grader, graduating in 1936 as a 4-year honor student. She was chosen her Senior Year as May Queen, Miss Central, and selected from the gym classes as "Best Athlete." Following graduation she worked at Volunteer State Life, and two years later married the Brainerd Junior High coach, E.B. "Red" Etter, who later became the head football coach at Central High School, also his Alma Mater. They had two sons, Gene and Bob. During this time, she retired from Volunteer and became a full time housewife and mother. As the boys grew up, becoming athletes in several sports, Helen loved attending their athletic contests and missed very few games of their high school and college careers. When the "empty nest" became a reality, she became even more devoted to her husband and continued attending the games he was coaching. Years later, when they were selling their house on Signal Mountain, as E.B. and Gene were boxing up items, it was discovered that Helen had been making scrapbooks of each years season and filing them away in the basement. After E.B.s retirement, they became active participants in Red Bank Baptist Church in Senior Adult programs, trips, and singing groups. To her immediate family, Helen is remembered as the most caring person they have ever known. She was a constant bedside companion and nurse to her mother during her mothers last years. She took a similar role with her father and brothers. She also raised her grandson Glenn from when he was six years old through high school. Helen was preceded in death by her father, Chester Ulus Gross; mother, Ida Legg Gross; brothers, Arnold, Everett, Lynn and Glynn Gross; and husband, E. B. Etter. She is survived by her sister, Blanche Sanders; son, Gene Etter and daughter-in-law, Eddie Lewis Etter; son, Bob Etter and daughter-in-law Margaret Johnson; grandchildren, Glenn Etter, Todd Etter, Honey Etter Hopkins, Lori Etter-Welty, Jordan Etter and Jack Etter; great-grandchildren, Timothy Etter, Jeffrey Etter, Marshall Hopkins, Calvin Hopkins, Caroline Welty and Finn Etter; nieces and nephews, Carol "Bunky" Williams, Mike Gross, Sandra Christnacht, Jerry Gross, Steve Gross, Alan Peck and Bryan Sanders. Funeral services will be at 2:30 p.m. Friday at Lane Funeral Home, Ashland Terrace with Dr. Glenn Morgan officiating. Interment will follow in Chattanooga Memorial Park. Visit www.lanefh.com to share condolences. Visitation is 12:30-2:20 p.m. Friday at Lane Funeral Home, Ashland Terrace, 877-3524.