Annette Yearby Ashley's Obituary
Annette Yearby Ashley, transitioned into eternal rest on Thursday, March 23, 2023 at home surrounded by her family. She valiantly fought a long battle with Colon Cancer since June 2019. Annette was born on April 17, 1942 in Chattanooga, Tennessee as the youngest child to Grady and Bessie Yearby. Annette attended Joseph E. Smith Elementary and Orchard Knob Middle School and Howard High School in Chattanooga. After graduating in 1960, Annette attended Tuskegee Institute in Tuskegee, Alabama. While initially wanting to go into nursing, Annette found her true passion and calling in education. Upon graduation, she began her teaching career in the Hamilton County School System. Annette received her Masters Degree in Counseling at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga. She married Willie Ashley in April of 1968 and had her only child, Courtney in April of 1975. As a devoted daughter, she balanced caring for her own mother until she died in 1986. Professionally, Annette was a revolutionary teacher whom all of her fellow teachers and students loved. She made Civics and American History come alive. She took her students to Washington DC every year and she was especially passionate about Black History. After a 30 year teaching career in Tennessee, she moved to North Carolina to be closer to her family. She just couldn’t stay away from education and shortly went back to work as an elementary school guidance counselor at T. C. Berrian Elementary School. Annette was not only a talented educator and basketball coach but also a very talented seamstress. She could create garments without patterns and recreate other items and make them better.
From a child, Annette loved the Lord and was raised and attended the East Third Street Church of Christ in Chattanooga, Tennessee. As an adult, she attended Spring Lake Church of Christ as well as Country Club Church of Christ in North Carolina. In Virginia, she attended Downtown Church of Christ and most recently, Inner City Church of Christ in Virginia. She was always very active with the youth and loved to attend special ladies’ events. Annette served as a Youth Director and taught Sunday School. She helped organize events as well as served as Mistress of Ceremony for several functions. Annette was known to attend the Ladies Day Annual Retreats and attended most of these since their inception in 1986 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Annette was also an active member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. She crossed Graduate Chapter with the Chattanooga Alumnae chapter in 1972.
Annette never met a stranger and she loved everyone with the love of Christ. She possessed amazing kindness and generosity. If she had anything you needed, you could be certain she would give it to you. Her love was truly for her grandsons because once they were born, she dropped everything and moved to Virginia to help raise them. Her heart was truly genuine and pure and she was a great listener and friend. She had a youthful spirit and loved to travel and stay active. One of her bucket list items (that she was unable to accomplish) was to travel to Switzerland and have a picture taken with her standing on the ski slopes to appear that she was skiing. Then she wanted to go inside and drink hot chocolate.
Annette is preceded in death by her father Grady Yearby, her mother Bessie Yearby, her brother Robert Lee Yearby and her nephew Michael Yearby. She is survived by her daughter Courtney Jackson (Darrin Jackson), her only sister Ruby Williams, grandsons Clive Brownbill, Jr. and Caelan Brownbill, niece Kellie Garris (Derrick Garris), nephews Rodney Yearby, Gregory Williams (Sherrill Williams) along with a host of great nephews, great nieces, cousins and friends. Annette will lie-in-state on Saturday, April 1, 2023, at 9:30 a.m. at Inner City Church of Christ, 3110 Sewells Point Road, Norfolk, VA 23513. Funeral service will follow at 11:00 a.m. at the church.
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