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Betty Virginia Gifford Etheridge, age 88 of the Green Hill Community in Drew County, passed away Tuesday, November 12, 2019 at her home. She was born June 23, 1931, the daughter of the late Milton Gifford and Ruby White Gifford.
She was the widow of Wilson Etheridge, retired cafeteria worker for Monticello School District and a member of Green Hill Baptist Church. She married at the age of 16 to Wilson Etheridge and had five children. Betty and Wilson raised their children with God, love, laughter and an open door policy that included friends and extended family members. God gave her the strength to cope with the loss of her husband, Gary her son, Connie her granddaughter, Billy her grandson and Joey her great-grandson. She was also preceded in death by two brothers, Kenneth Gifford and J. W. Gifford; and two sisters, Amy Purvis and Maureen Williams. When you think of Betty, you think of grace, quiet strength and a Christian in words and actions. Her death is a celebration of a life well lived and an unshakeable faith that she was going home to Jesus. Betty had a message for everyone - Jeremiah 31:14, "And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, "Know the Lord, for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more."
Survivors include two sons, Larry Etheridge and wife Norma and Mark Etheridge and wife Sheila both of Monticello; two daughters, Debbie Barnes and Joyce Brannen and husband Jody of Green Hill; one sister, Rita Worley of Monticello; nine grandchildren, Bobby, Chris, Deanne, Jason, Casey, Joseph, Joshua, Chelsea and Morgan; and fourteen great-grandchildren, Bo, Jeremy, Lillian, Kendall, Stratton, Grayson, Madelyn, Landon, Alexis, Asa, Kaylee, Gage, Allen and Carmen.
Funeral service will be 2:00 p.m. Friday, November 15, 2019 at Stephenson-Dearman Chapel with burial to follow in Green Hill Cemetery. Visitation 6:00-8:00 p.m. Thursday evening at the funeral home. Online guestbook at www.stephensondearman.com.
She was the widow of Wilson Etheridge, retired cafeteria worker for Monticello School District and a member of Green Hill Baptist Church. She married at the age of 16 to Wilson Etheridge and had five children. Betty and Wilson raised their children with God, love, laughter and an open door policy that included friends and extended family members. God gave her the strength to cope with the loss of her husband, Gary her son, Connie her granddaughter, Billy her grandson and Joey her great-grandson. She was also preceded in death by two brothers, Kenneth Gifford and J. W. Gifford; and two sisters, Amy Purvis and Maureen Williams. When you think of Betty, you think of grace, quiet strength and a Christian in words and actions. Her death is a celebration of a life well lived and an unshakeable faith that she was going home to Jesus. Betty had a message for everyone - Jeremiah 31:14, "And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, "Know the Lord, for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more."
Survivors include two sons, Larry Etheridge and wife Norma and Mark Etheridge and wife Sheila both of Monticello; two daughters, Debbie Barnes and Joyce Brannen and husband Jody of Green Hill; one sister, Rita Worley of Monticello; nine grandchildren, Bobby, Chris, Deanne, Jason, Casey, Joseph, Joshua, Chelsea and Morgan; and fourteen great-grandchildren, Bo, Jeremy, Lillian, Kendall, Stratton, Grayson, Madelyn, Landon, Alexis, Asa, Kaylee, Gage, Allen and Carmen.
Funeral service will be 2:00 p.m. Friday, November 15, 2019 at Stephenson-Dearman Chapel with burial to follow in Green Hill Cemetery. Visitation 6:00-8:00 p.m. Thursday evening at the funeral home. Online guestbook at www.stephensondearman.com.