Betty Snodderly (above), the “gem of Campbell County”, retires for the second time

By Charlotte Underwood

LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF) – One of Campbell County’s leading ladies is hanging up her work hat for the second time around. No more 9 to 5 for Miss Betty, the “friendliest voice at LaFollette Utilities.”

The transition is a “bittersweet one” full of “blessings and life-time friendships” for the “Valley Girl” who everyone knows and loves.

Betty and the girls at LaFollette Utilities – Betty Snodderly, seated, is retiring after 15 years answering phones at LaFollette Utilities. The girls said they were going to miss “the Princess.” Pictured is Rebekah Ivey, Amanda Allen, April Jones, Jessica Phillips, Celia Goins, Sarah Ferrer, and Ashley Sharp.

Sixteen years ago, Betty Snodderly found herself at loose ends after the tragic loss of her husband of 43 years. Betty was working as the director of the Campbell County Chamber of Commerce when her husband Ken Snodderly unexpectedly and tragically passed away.

“My heart was broken, I didn’t know where to turn and I didn’t know what to do with myself,” Betty shared. It was the hardest time in her life.

“I thought what am I going to do, and then Kenny Baird and Marlene Broadway suggested I come work part-time at LaFollette Utilities and I am so glad that I did. I am so blessed to have been here and have made such wonderful friends,” Betty said.

According to Betty, LUB has been “wonderful to work at” and was the “good medicine” she needed.

Betty Snodderly, “the Friendliest Voice at LUB” is hanging up her hat and the telephone after 15 years at the local utility company. Everyone’s going to miss that sweet southern drawl!

“I’m blessed to have been here and I hate to leave, and I promise to come back and visit. I have never worked at a place with such compassion for their co-workers; if there is a need, it is met. If someone is sick, everyone rallies around them. It is a wonderful place to be,” Betty said.Betty Snodderly, “the Friendliest Voice at LUB” is hanging up her hat and the telephone after 15 years at the local utility company. Everyone’s going to miss that sweet southern drawl!“I’m blessed to have been here and I hate to leave, and I promise to come back and visit. I have never worked at a place with such compassion for their co-workers; if there is a need, it is met. If someone is sick, everyone rallies around them. It is a wonderful place to be,” Betty said.

The folks at LaFollette Utilities feel the same way about “Miss Betty.”

Betty was celebrated last week by her family and her LUB family at the LUB offices.

“I don’t know what we’re going to do without her, we’re going to miss her so much,” said co-worker Ashley Sharp.

All the ladies up front said Betty was the “Princess” at LaFollette Utilities and that everyone wanted to “talk to Betty.”

LaFollette Utility General Manager Kenny Baird remembers when Betty first came to work at the utility. Betty quickly gained the reputation of being unflappable; no matter how cantankerous, rude, mean, or uncouth a customer was, Miss Betty never lost her cool and always handled the customers with the utmost respect.

Well Kenny Baird and a few of the other guys working down at the utility had the idea to “prank call” Betty a time or two just to see how she would handle the situation.

LUB General Manager Kenny Baird shares some Betty stories at last week’s LUB celebration of Betty Snodderly.

“We would kind of throw our voices so she didn’t know it was us and we called one time and said our outhouse was stopped up and could the utility send someone down to fix it,” Baird said laughing. Without missing a beat, Miss Betty very politely told the so-called customer that she was sorry, but that LaFollette Utilities “only worked on the public sewer system” and wished them the best of luck with their problem.

“That’s just Betty. I’ve known her my whole life and I’ve worked with her since 1995; she’s nice to everyone. You can’t think of a bad thing to ever say or think about Betty. She has always treated all of our customers with the utmost respect, no matter what and I know all of our employees see that and recognize that. Betty is a gem of Campbell County,” Baird said.

She’s also a “champion” for Campbell County as well and was a “champion for the chamber of commerce and for LUB; Betty can relate to the people and to what is going on in her community,” according to Jay Willoughby, who has worked with Betty for years during her time as the director of the Campbell County Chamber of Commerce, a position she filled for 23 years.

“She’s been a delight to work with over the years; she’s a good friend and a good friend of the community. Her ability to meet people and make them comfortable with her was a key to her success at the chamber and that carried on to her work at the utility; that friendly voice puts people at ease. She treats everyone with respect; she’s a champion for Campbell County,” Willoughby said.

Betty is the “perfect example of decorum and grace no matter what,” Willoughby said, recounting a story from when Betty was at the chamber.

According to Willoughby, there was a problem back in the 90’s and the “county had thought they might not be able to fund school bus services for students and there were people out in the street up there demonstrating and lots of noise going on. A company that had relocated here from another state was on the phone with Betty and the people wanted to know what all the ruckus was in the background and Betty told them “we’re having our big parade today.”

“That was just Betty, she never missed a beat,” Willoughby said.

Campbell County Mayor Jack Lynch and the county commission presented Betty with a proclamation.

Betty was born in Jellico hospital, May 5, 1944, to John and Alta Siler. At age 3 she moved “up to the farm in the Valley View area.”

“I grew up on the farm and had a great childhood; I’m a Valley Girl,” Betty said with a big smile. Her childhood holds fond memories for her, especially with Tom and Carl Wade Stiner and their siblings as her neighbors.

 Her family’s farm was next to the Stiner’s farm with a creek separating the two. 

The two families “canned vegetables together and shared vegetables, shared gardens and shared everything.”

“We were all in one little neighborhood there, it was kind of like Mayberry. Elm Grove Baptist Church was at the end of the lane, and we all went to church together,” Snodderly said. 

Betty Snodderly, left, with her childhood friend, the late Four Star General, Carl Wade Stiner. (PHOTO COURTESY OF WLAF’S CHARLIE HUTSON)

Betty recalls there wasn’t a lot of girls in the neighborhood, and she often was playing with the fellas, swimming in the creek, or running through the hay fields, unless they were wet, then Carl Wade had to carry her on his shoulders.

Betty said she had “the best memories” from playing with the other farm kids in her neighborhood.

Let’s just say a few June bugs ended up with string tied to them as well.

“Growing up we didn’t have a lot, but we didn’t know it. We could play all day in the creek. When it would rain, we would go up in the barn loft and stack the hay bales and play board games like Monopoly and such and we would just listen to the rain on the tin roof; it didn’t take much to entertain us back then,” Betty said.

Betty married the love of her life and she and her husband Ken had the drug store Ken’s Pharmacy for 30 years next to Dr. Crutchfield and Wood’s office. Then Betty served as the director of the Campbell County Chamber of Commerce for 23 years and spent the last 15 years at LaFollette Utilities.

“I’ve been busy,” Betty said laughing.

Hugs were a common theme at Betty Snodderly’s retirement celebration at LUB who is with Deputy Mayor Randy Brown.

In the meantime, of all this hustle and bustle, she raised two “wonderful children”, John Snodderly and Amy Lusby.

“I didn’t do it on my own; my children had a good father; Ken was a wonderful father and a wonderful husband. John is so much like him, his mannerisms, he’s so civic-minded; I see Ken through John. And Amy is such a wonderful mother and such a hard worker; I have wonderful children and five wonderful grandchildren, I am so utterly blessed,” Betty said.

John and Amy said their mother taught them both “how important it is to have community pride and to give back to the community in which you make a living.”

“She always said to start each day with gratitude because no matter what the situation or what is going on in your life, you should always show gratitude,” John Snodderly said.

Sunday was declared “Betty Snodderly Day” in La Follette. Mayor Cliff Jennings presents a plaque to Betty as son, John, looks on. (PHOTO COURTESY OF WLAF’S CHARLIE HUTSON)

He and his sister shared some sentiments about their “very special” mother.

“Mother has shown us what it means to be part of a community and that one of the most valuable resources you can offer to make a difference is your time. Mother has truly promoted Campbell County for many years. She has often said how blessed we are to live in a community where the mountains touch the lake. As a family, we are so proud of Mother and her accomplishments over the years. Now, we hope she enjoys a well-deserved retirement and a Happy 80th Birthday!”

Miss Betty turned 80 years young on May 5th, and she had some advice; “don’t wait till later”, for whatever it is that you want to do in life, “don’t wait till later, the time just might not come.”

“Time goes by so fast and the older you get, the faster it goes, you’ll think, I will do that later on, but you better not wait till later on, because later on just might not come.”

After she lost her husband right before the two were supposed to travel and enjoy retirement together, Betty went traveling with her dear friend Anne Dubose.

Betty Snodderly celebrated her 80th birthday on Sunday. (PHOTO COURTESY OF WLAF’S CHARLIE HUTSON)

“I did a lot of that taking it in through Ken’s eyes, because he was supposed to be there with me, so don’t wait. Don’t put things off, life is too short; enjoy your life,” Betty said.

Betty said she is thankful and blessed she traveled when she did because now that she is older, she is losing her eyesight; it has gotten so bad that she no longer drives.

She said she counts her many blessings daily.

“I am so blessed with such wonderful friends and family though and they help me out before I even ask; I am so blessed and I want to thank them so much for all they do for me and have done for me,” Betty said.

A very special thank you goes to some of Betty’s dear friends, including Shomi Siler, Vicki Claiborne Sewell, Sharon Ridenour, Alice Kilgore, and the late Anne Dubose.

“They are the best of friends” and have been there for Betty through thick and thin.

She said through all her 80 years of life, she is glad to be “right here in Campbell County where the mountains meet the lake” and that it’s not just a physical beauty that the area offers, but a spiritual one as well.

“People here have such a wonderful nature about them; we live in such a beautiful area. I am just so happy and blessed to be from here and to have had this time here at LUB,” Betty said.

Betty Snodderly was the Grand Marshal of the 2021 Christmas Parade. (PHOTO COURTESY OF WLAF’S CHARLIE HUTSON)

Her retirement plans include relaxing, spending time with her church community, enjoying her flowers and cooking for her family.

According to Betty’s grandson Zeke, Betty makes the best mashed potatoes around.

“I love to cook for my family. The grandchildren keep me happy and busy with all their activities. I am so very blessed with my family, my church family, my friends, this community and in so many other ways. To God be the glory because I owe it all to Him.” Betty said.

Author’s note: Betty gives the best hugs. Betty has been a dear friend and a blessing to me over the years since I met her in 2007. I was honored to write her first retirement article in 2008 and deeply privileged to get to write one again. Happy birthday and happy retirement Betty! Like you always told me, “Us Valley Girls gotta stick together!”

A NOTE FROM THE GRAND ON CENTRAL: “There is so much good going on in our community, and I want to share all this good with you every Monday here on WLAF in hopes that you will start your week in a grand way making each week a Grand Week,” said Olivia Lobtertini, owner of The Grand on Central.

Below, take a visit through The Grand on Central.

For bookings, email Olivia Lobertini ohlobertini03@gmail.com. Check on avails HERE. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 04/29/2024-6AM-PHOTOS COURTESY OF ASHLEY SHARP -PAID AD)

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