Vanessa Lane Hyatt-Fugate

Vanessa Lane Hyatt-Fugate, 66 of Gainesville GA passed to glory on Wed. Aug. 14, 2019 with her husband, J. Scott Fugate at her side after a 5-year battle with metastatic breast cancer. 

Vanessa grew up in Gainesville with her parents Elmer & Eula Mae Hyatt, owners of Lakewood variety store.  She attended Gainesville High School; earned her BA in Music, Voice & Opera at Baylor University with a semester abroad in Vienna.  She earned her M.A in Ethnomusicology & Multicultural Studies at Biola University; and was a Certified Vocal Technician of the McClosky Institute of Voice through Emory University. 

Vanessa’s career involved singing in multiple Operas & shows as a Mezzo Soprano in locales as diverse as a cabaret in Dallas, the Arizona Opera, and various Opera Houses, Educational Tours & Flamenco performances in Southern CA.  She likewise performed musicals & operas at theatres & churches in Atlanta & Gainesville. 

In Gainesville she was best known as “The Classical Queen” on Eclectic 89.1 WBCX at Brenau University where she produced educational & entertaining Classical music broadcasts for 15 years. She was very active on the boards of the Gainesville Symphony & Gainesville Pro-Musica, as well as a popular MC at local concerts & events.

For the past 24 years Vanessa has worked in Gainesville as an independent voice teacher training high school& adult students.

Her life celebration service will take place at Noon this Sat., Aug. 17 at Westminster Presbyterian Church located at 1397 Thompson Bridge Rd. in Gainesville, GA. 

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Fractured Atlas for Southeastern Young Artists. 

Those wishing to send online condolences to the family may do so at littledavenport.com

Little & Davenport Funeral Home and Crematory, 355 Dawsonville Highway, SW, Gainesville, Ga. 30501 is in charge of arrangements.