Jean Elizabeth (Garnham) Bingham

Jean Garnham Bingham, age 96, peacefully passed away of natural causes on Friday, September 20, 2019 in Ooltewah, Tennessee.

Jean was born November 24, 1922 in Rochester, New York to John H. and Cora Haueis Garnham. She graduated from Benjamin Franklin High School in 1940. After graduation, she went to The University of Michigan and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Education on June 24, 1944.  While attending university, she was a member of the Kappa Delta Sorority, Sigma Zeta Chapter. After receiving her degree, Jean went on to teach elementary and students with learning disabilities.  She will be remembered by countless students as a very dedicated teacher and mentor.

Jean was married to Alfred C. Bingham Jr. in Rochester, New York on April 7, 1947. Her marriage brought her to Gallipolis, Ohio in 1966 where she lived for 8 years. Jean moved to Columbus, Ohio in 1974 to be in proximity of her children and grandchildren. In 2013, at the age of 91, Jean decided to move to Ooltewah, Tennessee to better pursue her role as a great-grandmother and to further enjoy her retirement in the beautiful Tennessee mountains.

In retirement, Jean was a world traveler having gone to all seven continents. She recalled her favorite journeys as having been to Australia, Hong Kong, Brazil, and France.  She earned the Lifetime President’ss Volunteer Service Award from President Obama for more than 4,000 cumulative service hours over a lifetime.  Jean was an avid bird watcher, always enjoying the beauty of nature and the excitement of finding a new species.  Jean was a passionate gardener, having won awards for her beautiful blooms and flower arrangements. She was also ardent advocate and life-long patron of the public library system.

For her family, Jean will be remembered as a wonderful mother and devoted grandmother with sage advice, great stories, and a loving heart. She will be missed dearly by all those who knew her.

Jean is proceeded in death by her parents, John H. and Cora Haueis Garnham, and her brother and sister-in-law, Richard and Bette Garnham.

Left to cherish her memory and adventures are her children, Corleen (Paul) Martz, Deborah (Jeffrey) Catri and Douglas (Rebecca) Bingham; Grandchildren, Jessica (Jeff) Guild, Melinda Martz, Lindsay (Jeremy) Weaver, Jeffrey (Tiffany) Bingham, Kelsey Catri and Alexander Catri; Great-Grandchildren, Michael Guild, Andrew Guild, Stephen Guild, Jackson Bingham, Cora Bingham, and Shepherd Weaver as well as niece, Janine Garnham and nephew, Erik Garnham.

A memorial service will be held later in the year.  We encourage you to share your memories with family by going to www.heritagechattanooga.com. 

Memorial gifts can be sent to the Columbus Metropolitan Library Foundation, 96 South Grant Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43215 OR the City of Collegedale Public Library, 9318 Apison Pike, Collegedale, Tennessee 37363.

Arrangements are by Heritage Funeral Home, 7454 East Brainerd Road, Chattanooga, TN 37421.

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.