BBBTV12 Serving Anderson, Roane, and Morgan Counties
Bernice E. “Bea” Garber, age 78, of Oak Ridge, went to be with her Lord in Heaven, August 24, 2021, after courageously living with Parkinson’s disease for eleven years. Bea was a longtime member of First United Methodist Church of Oak Ridge where she was very involved with church activities. She was a mother first but also worked at the church as secretary and in several other positions there through the years. Bea had Native American ancestry and was a voting member of the Western Band of the Cherokee Nation. She loved spending time on the water, whether it was at the lake or the ocean, doing things such as water skiing, scuba diving, or just spending time with her family and friends at their lake property.
Bea was preceded in death by her parents, Harold & Elaine Tanner.
Survivors include loving husband of 59 years, Wayne Garber; daughter, Angela Mincks, and husband, Rob; grandchildren, Camdon and Natalie Cochran; step-grandchildren, Mandy and Zach Mincks; step-great-grandchildren, Jessie Poole and Ryder Mincks; brother, Leroy Tanner; several nieces & nephews, and many other loved ones. The family would like to extend special thanks to the staff of UT Hospice for the exceptional care they provided. In lieu of flowers, they request donations be made to First United Methodist Church of Oak Ridge, www.fumcor.org/give or the Michael J. Fox Foundation, www.michaeljfox.org/donate, to further research for Parkinson’s disease.
A Celebration of Bea’s Life will be held at 3 pm Saturday, September 4, 2021. Weatherford Mortuary is in charge of arrangements. An online guestbook is available at weatherfordmortuary.com. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Bernice “Bea” Garber please visit our Tribute Store.
