Sarah Katherine Hale Burris, 79, of Calhoun, died Sunday, December 11, 2016 at Life Care Center of Cleveland.
She was born in Riceville, TN on August 12, 1937 and lived her entire life in McMinn County. She graduated from Calhoun High School and married Henry Vernon Burris May 14, 1955. She was preceded in death by her parents John Willard and Frances Bacon Hale, her sister and her husband Ann Hale and Paul Roberson of Etowah.
She was a member of Calhoun United Methodist Church where she taught Sunday School, was the church treasurer, and played the piano for 31 years.
She loved to make old fashion stack fruit cakes. She loved to raise and can vegetables from her garden. Her favorite hobby was hand quilting for which she won many awards at the McMinn Heritage Museum Quilt Shows. She was past president of the Heritage Quilt Guild.
She is survived by her husband, Vernon Burris of Calhoun; two daughters and their husbands, Elaine and Eddie Geren of Calhoun and Renee and Steve Medley of Cleveland; two granddaughters, Crystle Geren Wright and husband David Wright of Riceville and Shelley Geren of Knoxville; one great-granddaughter, Carlie Ann Wright; a brother and sister-in-law, John Willard,Jr and Marian Hale of Englewood; one uncle, James A Bacon of Knoxville; and several nieces and nephews.
A funeral service will be conducted 11:00 am, Wednesday, December 14, 2016 at Calhoun United Methodist Church with Pastor Cory Miller officiating. Katherine will lie in state for one hour prior to the service. Interment will follow in Calhoun Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 4:00-8:00 pm, Tuesday, at Calhoun United Methodist Church.
Family will serve as pallbearers.
The family suggests in lieu of flowers memorials be made in Katherine's name to Calhoun United Methodist Church Music Fund, P.O. Box 185, Calhoun, TN 37309.

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