Bobbie Golliher Williams Devaney Swicegood

Bobbie Dean Golliher-Swicegood, a spit-fired soul, resided on earth between January 8, 1945, and July 31, 2025, thereby living to the age of 80 and one-half years. She passed peacefully after a short-term illness that is still undetected other than old age after living a fulfilling life as a “butterfly.”

Born in Daysville, Tennessee atop Rockwood mountain, she had a determined attitude. Disadvantaged at youth by being reared into a fairly poor family, she had a vibrant soul and sought to better herself. She stopped attending school in the 8th grade and later went on to graduate from the Tennessee School of Beauty before earning her GED. She was quick witted, smart and funny, as well as hard working! She loved fat babies, butterflies and family. Back in the day, she cooked many a regular country meals with her specialty being kraut/wieners, pinto beans, mashed taters and turnip greens, et al. It would be remiss to not mention her fabulous cornbread and Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners with homemade cat head biscuits.

Also, without a doubt, she was known to throw down some pretty good fried chicken and goulash on occasion. Lordy, Lordy!!! She would rise every morning and fix her yougsters breakfast by 6:30 am, not in the microwave, but on the stovetop or in the oven so that the youngsters could catch the bus by 7:00 am, all before getting herself ready to go to work. And work she did! From memory, she was a car hop in her teenage years at Ralph’s Drive-in on Gateway Avenue in Rockwood, a former manager of the Merita Bread store on Roane State Highway, a stylist at Jane Russells salon on Rockwood Street, and later owner/operator of Bobbie’s Beauty Salon on Front Street in Rockwood. Oh, the stories that were told there!!! She worked there for many years while simultaneously raising three kids and preparing breakfast and dinner every day before she retired and closed her beauty shop.

While working at Ralph’s Drive-in, she met and later married James Clifford (JC) Williams. JC and Bobbie resided in Clymersville and reared two children, Greg and Stacey Williams. JC died at the early age of 26 while Greg was three years old and Stacey was 13 months old. She later married Howard Devaney in 1974 in Nashville. The family eventually moved to back to Rockwood and settled in Rolling Acres Subdivision off Post Oak Road, and Bobbie and Howard had a child together named Angela Helen Devaney. The many stories “the fly on the wall” of that place could tell. Oh, my Lord!!!

Bobbie and Howard divorced in 1987, and she later married Earl Wayne Swicegood in 2007. Wayne adored Bobbie Dean! They planned to retire and spend time traveling, but Wayne had a stroke that left him physically debilitated. Bobbie tried to care for him in-home, but his frequent falls overcame her ability to lift him and she decided to admit him into Signature Care of Rockwood. As a family we would pick Wayne up and take him to family gatherings for several years. Eventually, Bobbie’s health deteriorated and she entered into Signature Care of Rockwood. Oh, the tongue lashings that Wayne had to endure thereafter. Some of our fondest memories are of mom giving Wayne non-deserved instructions of how, what and when he should do the most minute and insignificant things, while we, Wayne included, shook our heads, smiled, laughed and shrugged it of. Credit the Butterfly!

Bobbie Dean was preceded in death by her parents Willard Golliher and Dorothy Mullins Golliher, husband JC Williams, siblings Thomas Golliher, Ruben Golliher, Wilma Sue Golliher Jones, and Anna Belle Golliher Watson and husband Allan Watson; nieces and nephews Darwin Golliher, Tommy Golliher, Eddie Watson, Keith Watson, Sheila Watson and Scotty Watson.

Survivors include her husband, Earl Wayne Swicegood;

children: James Gregory Williams, Stacey Bryan Williams and Angela Devaney Staggers (Tyrece)

sister-in-law Beulah Mae Golliher and her children, Donnie, Gary, Sharon and Connie;

grandchildren, Marcus Thompson (Jesse), Chesney Williams Melton (Caleb), Bryan Williams (Chrissy), Chandler Williams and Tiani Porter

great grandchildren Elizabeth Johnson, Tenley Williams, Faith Williams, Alex Thompson, Wiley Williams, Crockett Melton and Maggie Thompson,

Special nurse: Kim England, along with other special family-friends and relatives.

The family would like to acknowledge the staff at Signature Care of Rockwood for their loving care of Bobbie Dean. A private burial service is planned. In leu of flowers, the family would appreciate that donations be directed to a charity, agricultural or other enterprise of your choice which promotes the proliferation, health and safety of butterflies.

Graveside service will be held on Monday, August 4, 2025, at 2:00 pm ET in the Oak Grove Cemetery in Rockwood. Evans Mortuary is serving the family of Mrs. Bobbie Golliher Williams Devaney Swicegood.