Lillie Rozella Davenport Beyer was born in middle Tennessee to Albert L. and Mary Hatler Lowe Davenport on June 27, 1923. She married Thomas Phillip Beyer on June 27, 1948, and they had one daughter, Rhonda Jan Beyer Safrit.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband: Thomas Phillip Beyer; daughter: Rhonda Jan Beyer Safrit; 6 brothers; a sister; and a son-in-law.

She is survived by her grandson: Charles B. Safrit (Charlotte) as well as their two sons Colin and Alistair; granddaughter: Daphne A. Safrit, and her family Ashton Pryor and their three daughters, Margot May, Amelie, and Hloise. They were her pride and joy. Surviving also is several close friends that she loved like family.

She was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Crossville and worked for years with the Methodist Women’s group. She was also a member of the Marie Ervin F.C.E. and a member of OES for 50 years.

In the early days of the Cumberland County Playhouse, under the leadership of Paul and Mary Crabtree and family, she joined a few ladies making costumes. Mary Crabtree would draw a diagram on a piece of paper and ask the seamstress’ to “make this”. Here, Lillie learned a lot that helped her later sewing for F.C.E. projects and working at the County Fair. In later years she started coloring and made many pictures for her friends and family. She also completed many word-find books.

In her life, she had many hard times, but God would speak to her letting her know that “He would give her strength” and He did.

The funeral service will be held at Bilbrey Funeral Home on Sunday, December 17, 2023, at 2 p.m. with burial to follow at Lantana Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 1 until 2 p.m. before the service.

Instead of flowers the family requests donations be made to First United Methodist Church of Crossville, Cumberland County Playhouse, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, or your favorite charity.

Obituary by Bilbrey Funeral Home in Crossville.