Valerie "Gaye" Jeffers, 60, of Hixson, Tennessee, passed away peacefully on March 5, 2025, at Erlanger Medical Center in Chattanooga after a courageous battle with cancer. Though her time here has ended, her impact will echo for generations. Gaye's story began in the heart of the mountains. She was born in Oneida, Tennessee, to Mary Lou (Sexton) Jeffers and the late Millard "Tim" Jeffers. During her early years, she enjoyed climbing trees, reading Dr. Seuss books, and embracing the warmth of her family, church, and community. At the age of nine, her world expanded when her father's job with Norfolk Southern Railway brought the family to Chattanooga. Leaving her small hometown and the family and friends she cherished was a profoundly emotional experience for Gaye. Despite the difficulty, she always managed to rise to the occasion, bringing her big heart and insatiable curiosity along with her on each new adventure. Gaye's passion for storytelling and interest in Theatre developed early and grew throughout her years at Harrison Elementary, Brown Middle, and Central High School. She earned her degree in Theatre from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 1986, then fearlessly packed her bags for Chicago to pursue her dreams. She demonstrated her directing skills in Chicago at the Goodman Theatre, Chicago Dramatists, Lifeline Theatre, and Victory Gardens. Her creative spark extended beyond the spotlight; she also found joy working with Elizabeth Geddes at her talent agency. Elizabeth Geddes Vasser: "I hired Gaye after her time at the Goodman Theatre. We were a small boutique agency with my partner-sister, Ann Geddes in LA. Gaye came in and within a heartbeat she was managing the office and us like she'd been doing it forever. Her bright personality made those difficult days better. She took over directing and filming the auditions for Los Angeles. She was talented. When she left, I was sorry to see her go, but she had been inspired to follow another path. And she was quite successful directing/producing music videos. She was successful in everything she did." Gaye eventually traded her snow boots for southern charm when she moved to Nashville where she discovered a passion for video production. Jim Shea said, "For many years, Gaye ran the Nashville office of Planet Pictures owned by me and Gerry Wenner. Her contributions were an integral part of Planet's success. She worked diligently to help create some of the company's most celebrated productions. Her hard work and dedication will always be remembered as will the smile she always wore." One of her proudest accomplishments was contributing to Vince Gill's powerful music video "Worlds Apart," a heartfelt story about unity and empathy-qualities that Gaye embodied daily. She was always eager to learn, so she pursued her MFA in Theatre at the University of Alabama-Roll Tide! During her studies, she honed her craft and formed deep friendships, many of which lasted her lifetime. She found her way back home to Chattanooga in 2007, returning to UTC-this time as a beloved professor. Over nearly two decades at UTC, Gaye directed almost three dozen productions, taught classes in Playwriting, Directing, and Theatre History, and inspired countless Honors College and Freshman Seminar students. She received eight Excellence in Directing Awards from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. She was a finalist for the Jane Chambers Award in Feminist Playwriting for her powerful play, The Odd Evangelical. Gaye was a passionate voice for inclusion in Theatre, and her work-like Give Me Room, a libretto about women's voting rights-pushed boundaries and opened hearts. One of her most meaningful collaborations was a 2012 co-production of Godspell with the Salvation Army, which welcomed actors from Chattanooga's homeless community into the spotlight. Her final project, The Little Room, was a tribute to the artists of a bygone era who gathered weekly in a studio in Chicago to support and inspire one another-just as Gaye had done for so many. Gaye's work was profoundly personal. She was always motivated to tell meaningful stories and create environments where everyone felt recognized. As UTC eloquently stated, "Professor Jeffers always challenged her students and colleagues to make better Theatre and be better people. We will miss her greatly." She was a member of Mission Chattanooga, a church with core values that emphasize Belonging, Growing, Serving, and Going, which Gaye wholeheartedly believed in and followed. Gaye was preceded in death by her father, Millard "Tim" Jeffers; her grandparents, Clifford and Ollie (Phillips) Sexton and Arthur and Bettie (Boshears) Jeffers; and many beloved aunts, uncles, and cousins. She is survived by her mother, Mary Lou Jeffers; her sister, Jolly (Paul) Goins; brother, Marc (Amanda) Jeffers; nephew, Prentice (Dani) Jeffers; honorary brother, Jordan Fleetwood; her cherished best friend, Jeff Atkins; her best girlfriends, "The Chicks"; and a wide circle of relatives, friends, colleagues, and former students who experienced her wisdom, humor, and kindness whom she deeply affected. A Celebration of Life will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 17, 2025, at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Fine Arts Center, 752 Vine Street, Chattanooga, TN 37402. Anyone who wants to share a memory, a funny story, or an unforgettable moment about her is welcome to do so. In lieu of flowers, the family wishes to establish a scholarship in her name to assist future students in pursuing their dreams in the Theatre world, just as Gaye did many years ago. Contributions to the V. Gaye Jeffers Theatre Fund can be made at give.utc.edu/jeffers or you may write a check to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and mail it to 615 McCallie Ave., Dept 1401, Chattanooga, TN 37403. If you have any photos of or with Gaye for a slideshow, please email them to theatreinfo@utc.edu.