Barbara Nell Denney Arwood, 70, of Athens, went to be with the Lord on Friday, Aug. 24, 2012.

She was a loving wife, mother and grandmother. Born in Burlington, Iowa, she was a graduate of the Mississippi University for Women and received her master\’s degree from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. A daughter of the late Frank and Edith Denney, she was also preceded in death by one brother, William Denney.

She began teaching at Goodlettsville High School and then at Young High School in Knoxville. She worked for 10 years for the Department of Educational Research at the University of Tennessee. She also taught Adult Education in Knoxville and Madisonville. She and her husband, Vic, moved to McMinn County in 1977 to raise their family on a dairy farm. Over the years, she became very involved in dairy farming and was a member of several dairy associations.

She had a passion and love for education, which was evident to those who knew her from her time at Hiwassee College in Madisonville. She was an English professor and then the director of Student Support Services. She was also involved in the arts and was one of the founders of the Monroe Area Council for the Arts.

She was a member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, where she sang in the choir, worked on altar guild and was an active member in the Episcopal Church Women. She was also a member of several book clubs, Friends of the Library and various bridge clubs.

Survivors include her husband of 41 years, Vic Arwood; one daughter and son-in-law, Amy and Timothy McPhail; one son and daughter-in-law, Blane and Jessie Arwood; one sister and brother-in-law, Deborah and Richard Talley; one sister-in-law, Joanne Denney; one sister-in-law and her husband, Pamela Arwood and Gary Autrey; three grandchildren, Harris McPhail, Denney McPhail and Lily Arwood; five nieces, Lori Reis, Jill Mason, Taylor Reis, Mikala Denney and Gabriella Mason; five nephews, Doug Denney, Dan Denney, Brody Reis, Joshua Denney and Kevin Talley; and several cousins and friends whom she loved dearly.

Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church with the Rev. Hendree Harrison officiating. Interment will follow at St. Paul’s.

The family will receive friends from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Smith Funeral & Cremation Services.

The family suggests that, in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 326, Athens, TN 37371-0326; Friends of the Library, 1289 Ingleside Ave., Athens, TN 37303; or Hiwassee College Auditorium renovation project honoring Barbara Arwood, and mail it to Office of Institutional Advancement, 225 Hiwassee College Dr., Madisonville, TN 37354.

If you are unable to attend this service or visitation, sign the guest register by clicking here.

Smith Funeral & Cremation Services of Athens is serving the family of Barbara Nell Denney Arwood.

- From the Daily Post Athenian