Valerie Jeen Privett

Valerie Jeen Privett a native of St. George, Ga and a current resident of Louisville (Knoxville), TN Passed away Peacefully on October 18, 2025, after a sudden illness. She was 64.

Val was a people person. She made a positive, profound impact on every life she touched (and there were many). Val died just as she lived, giving. She changed the lives of many people by the gift of organ donation.

If you knew Val at all you heard her say, "Life ain't a dress rehearsal”, and this was the mantra she lived to squeeze every ounce out of every day of life.

Born in the tiny town of St. George GA, Val grew up a country girl riding horses, playing basketball on a dirt court, and thoroughly enjoying the slower life. She loved the small St. George school she attended from grades 1-12. Graduating with a class of 24 from St. George High School, Val attended Troy State University because it was the one place she could continue her basketball career. Val started as a walk-on and earned a scholarship after her freshman year. She enjoyed 4 successful years at Troy State. Val often said she went to Troy to play basketball but got a great education there, graduating Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in physical education.

After Troy State, Val attended the University of TN in Knoxville where she learned to love the best color of orange. She graduated with a Master of Science degree in Physical Education with an emphasis in Motor Behavior. Pat Summitt helped Val get her first job in Bryson City NC as the head basketball coach and the Head Volleyball coach. Val laughed at this as she had never played competitive volleyball, but in year 3, her team won the Volleyball District championship and advanced to the regional finals.

After 3 years Val resigned from Bryson City without another job because that was her plan. God provided as Val got her first collegiate opportunity at Roane State Community College in Harriman TN in 1987. Val coached at Roane State from 1987-1994. Their most successful season ended in a trip to the NJCAA Championship tournament in Tyler Texas where they finished 8th in the nation. The next stop in Val's career was an Assistant Coach at ETSU in Johnson City TN. Val was there one year as they won the Southern Conference regular Season Championship. From ETSU, Val moved on to Virginia Tech where she coached for 2 years and enjoyed her time in Blacksburg with the success of the Hokies football Team.

In hindsight Val saw her firing from Virginia Tech as the best thing that happened to her as it introduced her to the world of insurance. She tried desperately to get another job in the basketball world, but God had another plan and she could not find a basketball job. Val returned to Knoxville (the place that felt most like home) and started an insurance agency from scratch. She saw insurance as an extension of basketball as she recruited clients to her agency. She never lost her love of teaching as she loved educating clients, realtors, mortgage loan officers, and anyone else who would listen about insurance.

Val believed in professional development and earned several designations in insurance including LUTC, CIC, and CPRM. She always wanted to be educated and most current for her clients.

One thing she was most proud of was delivering Mobile Meals on Fridays for 22 years. She also served on the Boards of Wesley House, Childhelp, and Carecuts. Val's favorite place was on the lakes of East Tennessee. Her boat Risky Business hosted many a good time. Her lake enjoyment was followed closely by her Tailgating before Tennessee football games. Val hosted many great tailgates with Big Orange friends at the International House and she expects that corner spot to continue having good times. Val's love of life was contagious and always said how

lucky she was as a small-town country girl to have been given such great opportunities to travel the world including 49 of the states in the United States and the countries of Argentina, Costa Rica, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos and Spain.

She found the Episcopal church later in life and loved the accepting community of Christ offered there. Her desire would be for all Christians to be more open as Christ loved us.

She wanted to personally thank all athletes who played under her for their sacrifice, hard work and resiliency. She knew she coached hard and appreciated all efforts. She also wanted to personally thank all clients, staff, and referral sources for their support of her business at Privett Insurance Group and Beacon Insurance Advisers. She could not have done it without you.

She is preceded in death by her father Y. Gene Privett whom she thanked for sharing his sense of adventure and laughter, her paternal grandparents Yulee & Edna Privett, and maternal grandparents Heyward & Leona Minor.

Val was survived by her mother Muriel Hodges who instilled a tireless work ethic and can-do attitude in Val, brother Kevin (Kelly) Privett, and sister Sheilia (Gary) Griffis. Beautiful nieces and nephews: Ashley Privett, Joel (Brittany) Combs, Jeremy Privett, Sarah-Anne (Jonathan) Albritton, Gary-Nathan (Devin) Griffis, Andrew-Paul (Abby) Griffis, Addie-Kaye (Lawson) Yarbrough, and Tyler-Clayton (Danielle) Griffis.

Great nieces and nephews Callie Combs, Ella Privett, Reese Privett, Kenley Combs, Tucker Privett, Korie Griffis, Felicity Albritton, Adaline Griffis, June Griffis, and Jeremiah Yarbrough. She was looking forward to meeting her two new nephews in the near future.

Loyal friends who were like family for over 25 plus years: Wendy Garber, Paige Cardel, Terri Leland, Janette Burgin, Lacy Wallace and Laura Slyman. Thanks for your unconditional love. Newer to the friendship circle but so supportive Ashley Finney, Teri Jo Fox and Eric Whitener, Vicki and George Williams. If you are not mentioned, my apologies but I still love you.

She would also be neglectful if the love of Fats, Gatlin, Duke, Sugar, Winter, Newman, Rocky, Oreo, Chopper, Shelby, Dozer and Grayson were not mentioned as they were the best fur babies.

A memorial service for Val will be held Saturday, October 25, 2025, at 11 am at the First Baptist Church of St. George, GA with Rev. Larry McGinley officiating.

Please make donations (not flowers as I smelled the flowers along the way) to any of my favorite charities: Mobile Meals, Wesley House, Childhelp, and Young Williams.