Frances "Punkin" Mitchell Painter

Frances “Punkin” Louise Mitchell Painter, age 89 passed away Saturday, June 27 at the Tullahoma Life Care Center. Memorial services will be held Sunday, July 5 at 2 PM at the First United Methodist Church in Tullahoma. Visitation with the family will be from 1 PM until service time. Mrs. Painter was born August 19, 1925 to Lillard and Frances Adams Mitchell at the home of her paternal grandparents in Tullahoma. She attended school in Tullahoma and graduated from Tullahoma High School as a proud member of the Class of 1943. It was during these school years that she was a pumpkin in a class play. That led to the nickname,”Punkin” which friends and family continued to call her. Frances attended the University of Tennessee and graduated in 1948. Her first full time teaching job was in Perryville, Missouri. After two years she returned to Tennessee and taught in the Crossville City Schools. While temporarily leaving the teaching field and working for a family business venture in Knoxville, she decided to serve her country during the Korean Conflict. She enlisted in the Woman’s Medical Specialist Corps of the Army and served at Ft. Sam Houston, Texas as a commissioned officer. At the completion of her assignment in the army, she returned to Tullahoma and taught third and fourth grade at Normandy, Tennessee. The following year she accepted a job with the Tullahoma school system as a sixth grade teacher at Bel Aire Elementary School. During her teaching career, she had and continues to have a great influence on “my children” as she called them. Many of her former students continued to write, call or visit her, years after leaving her class. Punkin retired from teaching while at West Middle School. Frances was a faithful member of the First United Methodist Church of Tullahoma. She enjoyed her Sunday school Class and her circle group as well as the senior citizens activities. She was also a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. In addition to her parents, Frances was preceded in death by her husband, Auburn M. Painter and her sister, Barbara Porter. She is survived by sons, J. D. Painter and his wife, Kathryn of McEwen, TN and Marvin Painter and his wife, Teresa of Greenville, SC; six grandchildren; three step-granddaughters and four great grandchildren. She is also survived by many cousins who have been dear to her and share many memories. The family would like to thank her caregivers, Judy Beaulieu, Loretta Starks and Margie Riggins and also many loyal friends who helped care for her. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested memorial donations be made to the First United Methodist Church, 208 W. Lauderdale Street, Tullahoma, TN or St Judes Children’s Hospital. Online condolences may be made at www.davesculbertsonfuneralhome.com. Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Frances "Punkin" Mitchell Painter

August 19, 1925 - June 27, 2015