Bernice Skidmore Breazeale, affectionately known as “Mrs. B.”, especially by generations of students, age 87, of Westel, passed away Saturday, November 11, 2023, at Roane Medical Center. She was born June 29, 1936, in Westel. “Mrs. B” was an elementary school teacher for over 37 years, serving most of that time as a beloved 1st-grade teacher at Ridge View Elementary School in Rockwood, where she will be remembered for among other things, annually bringing chicken eggs to allow all of the students to watch the hatching process of the chicks. She was a longtime member of the First Baptist Church in Rockwood. She enjoyed crocheting baby blankets for Life Choices, making quilts for others, making prayer shawls for her church to use, and making prayer pockets and crosses for missionaries and others to use, even sharing those during most recent days. As a great cook, she served on the church food committees for several years. She was a lifelong farmer (for many years with her husband), and a lover of the outdoors, even knowing all of the cows by name. Most of all, she loved her family fiercely.

She was preceded in death by her parents: John & Dorothy Skidmore; husband: Billy Breazeale, Sr.; and brother: Tom Skidmore.

Survivors include children and spouses: Billy Breazeale, Jr. (Karen) of Westel, Jack Breazeale (Amy) of Westel, and Pam Hale (Richard) of Knoxville; grandchildren and spouses: Zachary Breazeale (Taylor), Allison Williams (Jordan), Jared Breazeale (Lexie), Jordan Breazeale, Jacob Hale, and Colby Hale; great-grandchildren: Rylie Kate Breazeale, Eliana Grace Williams, and Hudson Jett Breazeale; and expected great-grandchildren twins in February 2024: Ember and Everly Williams; and several other relatives, and a host of friends and former students.

The family will receive friends on Wednesday, November 15, 2023, from 5 until 7 p.m. Eastern at Evans Mortuary in Rockwood. Funeral services will follow on Wednesday, November 15, 2023, at 7 p.m. Eastern at Evans Mortuary in Rockwood. Committal services and interment will be held Thursday, November 16, 2023, at 10 a.m. Eastern in the Burns Cemetery in Westel. Memorial contributions may be made to the First Baptist Church of Rockwood.

Evans Mortuary of Rockwood is in charge of arrangements.