Beloved mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, Christine Sibble Sanborn, 82, of Woodbury, Tennessee, passed away on September 6, 2026. Born in East Aurora, NY, Christine’s quick smile, compassionate heart, generous spirit, and joyous soul made an impression on everyone she met.
As a child, when asked what she wanted to be when she grew up, Christine said “a mother,” and what a mother she was! The love and attention she poured into her children made each of them feel like they were her favorite. Christine cherished her friends. She spent countless hours walking, talking, and drinking Diet Coke with them. The sound of her and her friends’ laughter must still be ringing through the hills of Short Mountain.
She was an avid reader, but when her children started attending Short Mountain School, she noticed there was no library. Christine took it upon herself to create and run a library for the school. She was so successful at this, she was asked to create libraries at Auburntown, East Side, Woodland, and West Side schools, making sure all the county’s children had access to good books. Many students fondly remember Ms. Chris sitting cross-legged on the floor, reading to them in her expressive voice. Christine’s work in those school libraries inspired her to return to college where she earned a masters degree in library science. She had a fulfilling career as a librarian until retirement. After retirement, she found joy in helping at the Cannon Outreach and Thrift Store where she could once again be seen cross-legged on the floor reading books to the children who came in.
She is survived by her daughters, Erica Sanborn, Nellie McCollum, Daisy (Shannon) Gannon, and Jane (Camron) Phelps; grandchildren, Umar (Ady) Rasul, Katherine Sanborn-Abbott, Ian (Sydney) Davis, and Sawyer (Jordan) Phelps; sister, Suzanne (Bill) Morris; brother, Edward Matson (Francesca) Sibble, Jr.; many close friends; and the loving caretakers and residents at Grandview Living. She was preceded in death by her beloved son, David Charles Sanborn, mother, Anne Louise Sibble, and father, Edward Matson Sibble.
In lieu of flowers, Christine suggested donations to WeCareCannon or Kennedy Krieger Foundation (supporting ALD research), or simply donate a book to a school library and pass along a little of the joy she spent her life sharing.
A celebration of Christine’s life will be held at a later date.
Woodbury Funeral Home, 615-563-2311 or to leave condolences and memories for her family, please visit www.woodburyfuneralhome.net
