DeEtta Kay (Dingledine) Eberhardt
DeEtta Eberhardt , born August 13, 1946, in Battle Creek, Michigan, passed away on July 5, 2026, surrounded by family, and held in the peace of her Lord.
A devoted Christian, DeEtta was a long-time member of Long’s Chapel UMC. Her faith was not just something she spoke about – it was how she lived. She was compassionate, generous, and kind to everyone she met. Christ’s love was reflected in the way she listened and cared for others.
DeEtta graduated from Bethel High School in 1964 and earned a full scholarship to WCU, where she studied education and graduated with honors. She dedicated her career to teaching at both Canton and Waynesville Middle School. Her legacy as a teacher lives on in the lives she shaped and the love she quietly sowed.
At home, DeEtta was the center of her family – steady, warm, and full of grace. She is survived by her husband, Lamar Eberhardt, her daughter, Tonia Pace Sturgill, and her daughter-in-law, Lorne Stephens Pace. She was a loving grandmother to Natasha Sturgill, Andrew Sturgill, Asher Pace, and Vivian Pace, and a proud great grandmother to Wilton Thomas. She loved teaching her grandchildren about the world, taking them on trips to New York, Alaska, Italy, Ireland, Galapagos Islands, and many more, showing them God’s beauty in every place they visited.
DeEtta found joy in creating with her hands. Whether she was knitting, quilting, sewing, or painting, every piece she made reflected her patience, her creativity, and the beauty of a God-given gift meant to be shared.
Her favorite sanctuary was Cataloochee, where she loved to camp and feel closest to God’s presence. In the quiet of the mountains, watching the valley settle into stillness, she found peace that echoed the promise of Psalm 23; “He leads me beside still waters; He restores my soul”.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Orville and Vivian Dingledine, and by her beloved son Jeff, whom she carried in her heart with faith and hope until the day she was reunited with him.
DeEtta’s life will be celebrated on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at Wells Funeral Home of Waynesville. We invite all who knew her and loved her to drop in between 4-6 pm to join in honoring her remarkable life, her steadfast faith, and the legacy she leaves behind.
Mrs. Eberhardt’s care has been entrusted to Wells Funeral Home of Waynesville.