Betty Louise Inman Lancaster

Betty Louise Inman Lancaster, 85, died peacefully on Friday, September 30, 2016 at Vanderbilt Medical Center. Funeral services will be conducted Saturday at 12:00 noon at First United Methodist Church with Rev. Chip Hunter and Rev. Melinda Britt officiating. Private family interment will be in Polk Memorial Gardens. The family will visit with friends Saturday from 10:00 A.M. until service time at the church. Oakes & Nichols Funeral Directors are assisting the family with arrangements. Memorials may be made in her honor to First United Methodist Church, 222 West Seventh Street, Columbia, TN 38401, James K. Polk Memorial Association, P. O. Box 741, Columbia, TN 38402, or Maury Regional Health Care Foundation, 1224 Trotwood Avenue, Columbia, TN 38401. Betty was born on February 7, 1931, in the East Tennessee farming community of Ten Mile, Tennessee. She was the fifth of six children born to Robert Taylor and Dora Edgemon Inman. She attended Tennessee Wesleyan College and graduated from Tennessee Tech where she met her husband, Joe Lancaster. They married on August 31, 1951. Betty taught high school English in Carthage, Tennessee until they moved to Columbia for Joe's career with the Tennessee Farmers Insurance Companies. Within five years, she became a mother of four, beginning her favorite career of raising children. Betty, who was affectionately known as "Muffin" to her eleven grandchildren and seven great grandchildren, instilled in them her great love of nature and literature, and her quiet faith and open mindedness.Betty was a long time member of First United Methodist Church, the James K. Polk Memorial Association, Cosmopolitan Book Club and Columbia Garden Club. Betty is survived by her husband of 65 years, Joe Lancaster; children, Betty Jo Currie (Andy), Peggy McWhorter (Frank), Emily McKnight (Ben), Ed Lancaster (Carrie); grandchildren, Tyler Wynne (Robby), Lucy Folsom (Andy), Anderson Currie, Lewis Fowler (Sandrine), John McWhorter, Meg McWhorter, Joe McKnight (Lucia), Louise McKnight, Boone Lancaster, Leighton Lancaster, Emma Bradford (Payton); great grandchildren, Charlie and Lucy Inman Wynne, Lancaster Fowler, and Anderson, Heathley, Currie and Roscoe Folsom; siblings, Ralph Inman (Jackie) and John Inman (Rosemary); and her brother-in-law, Jim Lancaster (Vondell).She was preceded in death by her siblings, Blanche Inman, R. T. Inman, and Charles Inman.The family is especially grateful to their parents' dedicated caregivers - Burnice Bellafant, Kay Lott, Kristie Pillow and Teresa Held.