Annie Lee Richardson Schlatter
21 October 1924 - 18 March 2007

SCHLATTER, ANNIE LEE RICHARDSON – known to her many friends as “BABE” SCHLATTER – died on Sunday, 18 March 2007 at St. Mary’s Hospice; she succumbed to pancreatic cancer.  She was born 21 October 1924 in East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, the daughter of Clarence J. Richardson and Annie Lee Dudding, both deceased.  She grew up in Centreville, Wilkinson County, Mississippi.  She married Joseph A. Schlatter, Sr., on 14 November 1943; he died in Knoxville, Tennessee, 29 November 2005.  Babe and Joe Schlatter and their two sons moved to Knoxville in 1951 where they lived continuously except for a brief period, 1962 – 1964, when business took them to Anniston, Alabama.

 She is survived by:  two sons and daughters-in-law whom she loved as her own daughters, Joe and Rose, and, John and Becky; four grandchildren, Stephanie, Joe, Valerie, and John Michael; three great-grandchildren, Phil, Jack, and Jay; one yet unborn great-grandchild; two sisters, Mrs. Mary Christine Richardson Hemphill of Pass Christian, MS, and Mrs. Mable Dudding Richardson Savoie of Belle Rose, LA; brother-in-law Mr. Fred Schlatter of Knoxville; and by several nieces, nephews, and cousins.  She was preceded in death by a brother, Clarence James Richardson, Jr., of Cleveland, Mississippi.

 Babe Schlatter was a devoted Christian whose life is an example of Jesus’ commandments to “Love your neighbor as yourself” and to “Teach the Gospel to all people.”  Raised as a Southern Baptist, she followed her husband to the Presbyterian faith and, if the Presbyterian Church sanctified saints, she is one.  During the 1950’s she taught neighborhood Bible classes for children through Knoxville Child Evangelism.  A member of Park City Presbyterian Church for over twenty years, she taught high school age Sunday School, high school youth group, women’s Bible study, Vacation Bible School, and led women’s Circles.  She was a member of Fairmont Presbyterian Church for over thirty years where she taught adult Sunday School and Bible lessons, Vacation Bible School, and women’s bible study, and, was active in women’s Circles.  She served as a Presbytery representative to the Presbyterian Church’s General Assembly. 

For twenty years she served Knoxville Spiritual Heritage where her principal joy was arranging the annual Knoxville Prayer Breakfast.  Mayor Bill Haslam officially recognized her for this service by proclaiming 15 April 2005 as “Babe Schlatter Day” in Knoxville. 

She served thirty years as a Board member for Youth of Knoxville Evangelism – YOKE Ministries – where she made important, positive contributions to hundreds of middle-school youth in and around Knoxville.

 Babe Schlatter worked for 33 years as office manager for Shafer Insurance Agency where she was known by all who did business with the Agency for her cheerful smile and her careful attention to their needs.

 She was an avid and accomplished gardener and cook; she filled her lawn with multitudes of flowers and shrubs and her table with fine, Southern food.  Her lawn was filled with bird feeders and she knew all her bird friends by name.  Babe Schlatter was a knowledgeable and dedicated sports fan; college football and college men’s and women’s basketball were her favorites – she played on her high school women’s basketball team in the early 1940’s.  Her favorite teams were LSU and UT – which led to an occasional conflict – she was especially excited about the current UT men’s and women’s basketball teams.

 Throughout her life and her 56-year sojourn in Knoxville, her heart remained in the cotton fields, piney woods, bayous, and rural life of her beloved Mississippi and Louisiana.  She held fast to her genteel Mississippi accent and manners.  She served as her family genealogist, maintaining family heirlooms, legends, and records dating to the early 1800’s.  During her last days with her family, she told them stories of memories from her childhood in rural Louisiana and Mississippi – believing as she did that the “past is never dead. It is not even past.”

In accordance with their wishes, Babe and Joe Schlatter were cremated and will be interred side-by-side in the soil of the Mississippi Delta.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in her memory to:  YOKE Ministries, 1401 Cecil Ave., Knoxville, TN 37917.

 A memorial service to celebrate Babe Schlatter’s life will be held at Fairmont Presbyterian Church, 2537 Fairmont Blvd., Knoxville, at 6:30 PM, Wednesday, 21 March.