Bethany Megan Williams

Bethany Megan Williams, 44, of Knoxville, Tennessee, passed away suddenly of a heart attack at home on September 13, 2025. Bethany's family and friends grieve her unexpected death but know her memory is a blessing to everyone touched by her love, music, and laughter.

Bethany was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, on May 11, 1981, and she graduated from Morristown Hamblen High West ('99). She studied music education at the University of Tennessee ('04), and then launched her stellar 21 year career teaching choir at South Doyle Middle School in South Knoxville. She had a beautiful voice and took great pride in sharing the gift of music. Teaching was not just her job--it was her gift, passion, and joy. She truly cared about her students, pushed them to do better, provided a compassionate and loving ear, delighted in their antics, matched their wit, encouraged their talents, and most importantly, loved them deeply.

At SDMS, she taught thousands of students over the years in a variety of music related classes and before and after school activities. She created and directed the award winning Cherokee Singers who performed at countless basketball games, concerts, school events, competitions, and the Rossini Festival. Bethany also worked tirelessly on an annual musical where she directed, choreographed, produced, costumed, and artistic directed a Broadway production with her middle school students. Not only did her efforts provide an unforgettable experience for the cast and crew, she included the community by hosting the Tennessee School for the Deaf and local elementary schools for special performances. Beyond chorus and teaching, she volunteered her time for school-wide events like directing the annual talent show.

Bethany was an exemplary colleague. She served as SDMS Fine Arts Department Chair for several years. Bethany held professional membership in the East Tennessee Vocal Association where she served in various capacities advocating for middle school students’ involvement in choral music.

Her generosity of spirit and time, along with her excellence in her craft, cannot be overstated. Most recently, Bethany successfully spearheaded an effort for SDMS to be named the 2025 TAA Arts “Rich School of the Year” Award by using her creativity to create a documentary showcasing the high-quality work of fine arts students throughout the SDMS community.

For her last stage production (her 19th), Bethany directed one of her favorite musicals-- Newsies. Against the difficult odds faced by teachers, Bethany devoted her time minute by minute, after-school hour by after-school hour, and year by year to create a warm, welcoming, and creative environment for hundreds of students. The difference she made in the lives of her students, many of whom were underprivileged and found a place of belonging in her class and programs, cannot be overstated nor can her impact. Because of the positive and uplifting environment curated by Bethany, many students continued to enhance their love of music by singing in high school and college choirs and participating in theatrical productions.

The only thing Bethany was more devoted to than her students were her family and friends. Her beautiful laugh and smile were contagious, and her ability to turn an awkward situation or weird moment into a lifelong joke was a gift. She treated her friends and their children like family. Bethany celebrated their highs and walked beside them in their lows. If you were lucky enough to have Bethany as a loved one, you were lucky enough to never feel alone. Perhaps Bethany's greatest role was as "Ahbeezus"--being aunt to Mila and Gabriella. Her true delight in (and borderline obsession with) them was a joy to witness and a masterclass in unconditional love.

Bethany's legacy is her love--for her students, fellow educators, community, family, and friends. She showed her love in her words and acts. She would always show up for you however needed and enthusiastically so.

Bethany is preceded in death by her father and stepmother, Keith and Jackie Williams, her brother John Sterling Williams, her grandparents, Paul and Carol Williams and Earnest and Charlotte Ann Lawless, and step-grandparents, Jack and Deloris Gunter. She leaves behind to cherish her memory her mother, Donna Lawless, her sister Courtney (Brandon) Williams Moore, her precious nieces, Mila and Gabriella, special friend, Stephen Mee, aunts, uncles, cousins, best friend Tiffany Kimbro (Daniel and children, Ella and Tucker), countless beloved and treasured friends, and her former and current students.

A Celebration of Life (as is fitting for Bethany) and Music service will be held in the Family Life Center of Middlebrook Pike United Methodist Church on Sunday, September 21, 2025 with a time of gathering at 2:00 PM and service at 3:00 PM. As Bethany was the ultimate lover of glitter, we encourage you to wear a colorful or sparkly outfit for the service.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages you to make a donation to the Tennessee Theatre's Theater Arts for All Program, which will help to continue Bethany's legacy of music education by sponsoring tickets for students to see world-class Broadway productions. You may donate in Bethany's honor at this link: https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/4ZSrZRSpW1Vb3RjOe27b2Q?t=1758041498