Daughter of James Edwards Abertnathy and Susanna Rebecca Denty

Elizabeth Denty Abernathy, born on 27 Aug 1857, graduated from Tennessee Female College in 1877 and became a schoolteacher, but never married. She died in Giles on 13 Aug 1932. Elizabeth delved into the family history and preserved and expanded the heritage left to her by her mother.
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ABERNATHY, Elizabeth Denty "Lizzie D." The Pulaski (TN) Citizen 17 Aug 1932.
Miss Lizzie D. Abernathy passed away at the home of her brother, Casey Abernathy, about 1 o'clock Saturday.
Miss Abernathy enjoyed the advantages of a good education and in early life became a successful school teacher. Bur recognizing the needs of the younger members of her father's family, and the children of the local community of Pleasant Valley, she abandoned the broader field and devoted her life-work to the needs of her home community.
Not only were the children instructed, the mothers were helped with their problems. Long before the Government began the work of the Home Demonstration Agent and Cooperative Marketing, Miss Lizzie had organized a community club, and was conducting cooperative marketing. Indeed it is believed the germ of cooperative marketing which is now one of the foremost activities of the Government, developed in her brain. She worked unselfishly and modestly for the best interest of her community. And made no claims for personal recognition when the editors of agricultural papers, and heads of departments, called upon her for information about the organization and operation of a community club. She was always glad for others to take up the work she had inaugurated, and carry it forward. And she learned that she could secure greater cooperation by others when they were permitted to claim the credit for ideas and plans.
In recent years, Miss Lizzie had devoted much time to the genealogy of the Abernathy family. After several years of research, she prepared a pamphlet, which was published by The Citizen, tracing the various branches of the Giles County family of Abernathys. And the distribution of this pamphlet brought much additional information and an extended correspondence. Only recently Miss Lizzie had been appointed Giles County representative of a national genealogical bureau, and was busily engaged in preparation for this new activity when the stroke came that terminated fatally.

After funeral services Sunday afternoon at Pleasant Valley Church, the church where her active church and Sunday School work had been done over a period of years, the body was laid away in the family lot where repose the remains of her ancestors, and other members of the family. Funeral services were conducted by Rev. George L. Beale of Nashville for many years a friend of the family, assisted by Dr. R. J. Craig, a cousin, and the local pastor, Rev. W. C. Morehead. The church was filled to capacity and perhaps not more than half of those who came to the funeral gained admission. A wealth of beautiful florals was a further tribute to the memory of this good woman.
Civilization and the Church will perhaps never recognize the debt due to unselfish individuals, like Miss Lizzie D., who give up those things, which make life dear to the average man or woman and devote their lives to unselfish service for the benefit of others.