Villa Elizabeth Campbell Hanks

Villa Elizabeth Campbell Hanks, 69, of Rainsville, passed away on April 24, 2022.
An extraordinary and devoted wife, mother and grandmother, Elizabeth was a passionate elementary school teacher for 35 years. She taught school primarily in Williamson County, Tenn., but also in Alabama and Louisiana. She influenced over 800 students in her long career and mentored many beginning teachers and principals. She was named “Teacher of the Year” in 2002 at Crockett Elementary in Brentwood, Tenn.
She is a 1970 graduate of Winfield High School where she served as the president of the Senior Honor Society and was voted Best All-Around. She earned her elementary education degree from Livingston University and her master’s degree from the University of Alabama.
Mrs. Hanks, and her husband, Louis, were married in 1973 and have celebrated 48 wonderful years of sweet life together. Her commitment to her husband is best exemplified by driving a straight-shift orange VW to teach wonderful special education children in the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans in order to put Louis through seminary. She was a member of Broadway Baptist Church, Rainsville. Previously, she and her family were members at Brentwood Baptist Church, Brentwood, Tenn., where she taught children’s Sunday School for 30 years and worked with youth for many years. She demonstrated a remarkable faith in Christ, served as a steadfast prayer warrior, and enjoyed working in the church. Her legacy was to instill this motto in her family: “Be a Blessing.” As the family historian, she loved to research genealogy and keep records of family milestones. For all of her life, she devoted her energies to her family and in recent years especially to her five “grands” whom she adored.
She is survived by her husband - Louis; sons - Jonathan (Jamie) and Andrew (Courtney); five grands - Novie, Campbell, Eliza, Levi and Abigail; mother - Jane Campbell; brother - Stott (Janet) Campbel;  sisters - Phoebe (Mitchell) Pate and Sarah (Jerry) Smith; mother-in-law - Margaret Hanks; brothers-in-law - Chuck Alexander and Tom Hanks; and several nieces, nephews and a host of friends.
Mrs. Hanks was preceded in death by her father - Garry Campbell; and by her sister - Lydia Alexander; and father-in-law - Louis B. Hanks.
A celebration of life service was held on Thursday, April 28, 2022, at Broadway Baptist Church, Rainsville. The burial was held at the Mountain View Memory Gardens.
Bro. Gayle Haywood, retired minister, Brentwood Baptist Church, was the officiating minister.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Backpacks of Blessings to assist children at Broadway Baptist Church, at PO Box 766, Rainsville, AL, 35986, (https://www.broadwayonline.org/). Or send donations to the UAH Foundation, Early Learning Center, Student Services Building, 319, Huntsville, AL 35899, (https://www.uah.edu/early-learning-center/donations).
Rainsville Funeral Home
498 McCurdy Ave N
Rainsville, Ala. 35986