Virginia Teems

RINGGOLD — Virginia “Christine” Peters Teems, 83, co-founder and vice president of Teems Electric Company Inc., died June 27, 2018, in Ringgold, following a lengthy illness. She born on Feb. 16, 1934, to the late Arthur Jasper Peters and Annie Dee Carpenter Peters. Mrs. Teems was a graduate of Ringgold High School and earned certification as a bookkeeper from Walker County Technical School. She managed the accounts of the business she started with her husband of 64 years, the late Vernon Marshall Teems. The company incorporated in 1961. It is a member of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) and is still family held. In 1971, when U.S. Pipe and Steel Corporation of Chattanooga went bankrupt, leaving many area subcontractors under crushing debt, Mrs. Teems, along with her husband, took out loans to pay suppliers and repaid debts, later expanding their company, exponentially. As an active, long-time member of Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church, she served as director of the Women’s Missionary Union (WMU) for many years. She enjoyed family life and raised four children. Hobbies, when she had time to pursue them, included sewing, flower gardening and travel. She was a determined and devoted spouse and mother who grew up in the Depression-era South, overcoming obstacles through faith, persistence and hard work. Mrs. Teems is survived by her children, Deborah Petticord (John), of Chattanooga, Tenn., Valerie Lawson, Miles Teems (Donna) and Mark Teems (Tammy), all of Ringgold, Ga.; her grandchildren are Phillip Teems, Natalie Teems Atwell (William), Christy Lawson Carter (Stephen), Katie Lawson Crocker (Thomas), Aaron Petticord (Lauren), Joanna Petticord Chan (Brian), Garrett Teems (Meagan) and Katelynn Teems Fassnacht (William); She had 14 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister, Loretta Turner (John), of Dayton, Tenn. She was preceded in death by her husband, Vernon M. Teems; and her parents, Annie Dee Carpenter Peters and Arthur Peters, of Ringgold. The family will receive visitors on Saturday - June 30, from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Wallis-Stewart Chapel of Wilson Funeral Homes at 443 Boynton Drive, Ringgold, Ga. The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday - July 1, 2018, in the chapel with Pastor Danny Henson officiating. Phillip Teems, William Atwell, Thomas Crocker, Aaron Petticord, Garrett Teems, William Fassnacht and Charles Crandall will serve as pallbearers. Interment will follow at Anderson Memorial Gardens. Arrangements by Wilson Funeral Homes – Wallis-Stewart Chapel, Ringgold, Ga. Online guest book at www.wilsonfuneralhome.com