Julia Toms

Julia H. Toms, 99, died on Friday, March 21, 2014 at her daughter's home in Tellico Village, Loudon, TN, where she had resided for two years. Mrs. Toms was born in Newark, N.J. and raised in Erie, Pa. She met her future husband, Robert H. Toms, in 1932 when she entered Maryville College in Maryville, Tenn. as a freshman and he was a junior. Post-graduation, Julia trained to teach the deaf (oral method) at Clark School for the Deaf, Northampton, Mass. and then taught at Mystic School for the Deaf, Mystic, Conn. In 1942, Julia and Robert married and lived in Oak Ridge, Tenn. during WWII. In 1945 the couple moved to Chattanooga. Mrs. Toms taught Speech and Hearing and then Deaf and Hard of Hearing for Chattanooga City schools from 1961 to 1981. She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert H. Toms; parents, Warren and Martha Hilditch; sister, Barbara Dougan; and brothers, Warren Hilditch and Hugh Hilditch, who was killed in WWII. She is survived by her daughters, Martha Toms (Morris Hudgins) and Barbara Toms Craig (David); grandchildren, Julie Robertson (Phil), Jennifer Sanders (Bill Gupton), Jane Peavy (Derrick), Jonathan Craig (Erin Rossiter), and Jason Craig (Melanie Jordan); great-grandchildren, Patrick Sanders, Hannah Robertson, Caleb Robertson, and Seth Robertson, Elizabeth Peavy, and Desmond Craig. A graveside service will be held at 1:30 p.m., Monday, March 24, at Greenwood Cemetery with the Rev. Gary Roop officiating. Visit www.heritagefh.com to share words of comfort to the family. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in her memory to Tellico Village Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department, 210 Chota Road, Loudon, TN 37774. The family will receive friends from 12-1 p.m. on Monday at the funeral home. Arrangements by Heritage Funeral Home, East Brainerd Road.