Welcome – Ben Betts
Introduction of officers for 2008 through 2009
ü Ben F. Betts, Jr. – President
ü Lamar Leynes – Vice President
ü Charlotte Harvey – Secretary/Treasurer
ü Edwin Duke - Historian
Introduction of Advisory Committee
v Nancy Suber
v Linda Scruggs
v Martha Howe
v Patti Spooner,
v Sara Sue Alexander
v Mary Louise Blount
v Betty Jane Betts
v Ex-0fficio - Madeline White
President’s Address – Ben F. Betts, Jr.
Cemetery Report
Secretary/Treasurer’s Report – Charlotte Harvey
Wedding Announcements
Birth Announcements
Kalee Lynn Rushly born May 28, 2008
Military Recognitions
Remembrances (2007-2008)
Foy Nell Betts Barineau
February 11, 1913 – February 2, 2008
Tributes
Ø Surprise Tribute
Ø Wayne F. Betts
Program Presenter – Jack Wingate
Seminole Ramblins
Betts Book Update – Edwin Duke
Wayne Fred Betts
November 22, 1925 – January 7, 2006
Parents:
Fred Judson “Peck” Betts
August 25, 1894 – April 1979
Clara Will Wiggins Betts
April 5, 1907 – July 26, 2004
Siblings:
Janice Betts Butler
Jerald Duke Smith
Spouses:
Joyce Todd Betts – August 20, 1950 – July 18, 1980
Erline Bourne Smith May 14, 1983
Children:
Kimberly Betts Greene – b. November 25, 1955
Tracey Elizabeth Todd Betts Pearce – b. September 24, 1961
Hello everyone!
Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to honor Daddy! I have had the best time these past few weeks, thinking about old times and reminiscing about Daddy with family and friends. He was a loving father, grandfather and great-grandfather, a caring brother and cousin, and a good friend to many. He had a delightful sense of humor, and was passionate about his beliefs.
Daddy had fond memories of growing up in Bettstown and loved to reminisce about cane grindings, syrup cooking, hog killings, watering the mules and feeding the chickens, and cutting wood.
Here’s a story from Daddy’s autobiography that I’ll share with you regarding the Overland touring car that his grandparents drove from Hartsfield, GA down to Bettstown.
In 1915 my grandfather, Jesse B. Wiggins bought a new Overland automobile and drove it for a number of years. At the time, he lived in the little community of Bettstown, GA. Sometime during the 1920’s it broke down and, with times as they were, he couldn’t afford to have it fixed. He simply parked it in the front yard under a huge oak tree where it began to deteriorate rapidly. By the time my cousin, Keith Duncan and I were eight years old, in 1933, the Overland was a rusty hulk; the top was gone, the upholstery had rotted away to rusty springs, the tires and wooden spokes had rotted and the only thing that moved was the steering wheel. Nevertheless, with our vivid imaginations, we had the greatest car ever built. We didn’t have or need TV.
1933 was the year of the GANGSTERS, and we thought we knew them all. We would drive that Overland to Bainbridge or Quincy. And every time we would find somebody robbing a bank. Sometimes it was John Dillenger, Pretty Boy Floyd, Baby Face Nelson or Machine Gun Kelly. We would arrest them and turn them over to the police, but mostly we would just shoot ‘em and kill ‘em. Except for Melvin Purvis, we were the two best G- Men that J. Edgar Hoover had.
Occasionally, when we tired of playing the good guys we would squeal off to Bainbridge or Quincy and rob a bank ourselves. We were never caught because that Overland would do 200 miles an hour on crooked, dirt roads. When we got back to Bettstown we shared our loot with all the poor people, which in 1933 was everybody!
Daddy made his profession of faith and joined the church when he was 11 or 12 years old. This was in Bettstown and the church didn’t have electricity or running water, so they used the millpond for baptisms. Daddy said that when he came up from being immersed that he almost froze – it was November of 1936 and cold! Apparently, no one had thought to bring him anything else to wear, so Peck had to wrap him up in his coat!
Daddy remained a devout and lifelong Christian and made sure that Tracey and I were at church every time the door was open - Sunday school and church, Wednesday night prayer meeting and Girls Auxiliary. Mama got us all dressed up, with bows in our hair, shoes shined and stiff petticoats on, but Daddy was the one that actually got us there. Except of course for the Sunday we showed up and no one else was there – no, it wasn’t the Rapture, we had just forgotten to ‘spring forward’!
Daddy was an able gardener, and frequently gave away the fruits of his labors. He was compassionate to those less fortunate than he, and made it a point to give to those in need, not only with his produce, but with his time and attention.
He was a WWII veteran and was very proud of his service to his country. He was a staunch Republican and loved his country. He thoroughly enjoyed watching Fox news and discussing politics with my husband Don. Fortunately, they shared many of the same beliefs!
Daddy had a strong work ethic. He was the State School Architect for the Florida Department of Education for many years, and then was Assistant Division Director for the Department of General Services. After he retired, he became a building contractor for several years and was then asked to return to the Department of Education. They needed his expertise, which pleased him no end!
Daddy was an avid (some, who shall remain nameless, would say ‘obnoxious’) Gator fan and loved yellin’ for his team. One of my earliest memories is of attending a Gator football game when I was about 3 years old and waving my blue and orange pom-pom.
My sister Tracey was very much a ‘Daddy’s girl’, especially when she was little. Throughout most of the 1960’s, we vacationed every year at Mexico Beach – Granna & Peck, Aunt Janice and her 3 children (Jan, Jill and Judd), Mama, Tracey and me. We usually went for a week, and Daddy came down for the weekend, but had to work during the week. One year when Tracey was about 3, Sunday afternoon came and Daddy got ready to go back to Quincy. Well, unbeknownst to everyone, Tracey hid his car keys because she didn’t want him to leave! We looked everywhere, all over that cottage, and short of shaking it out of her, Tracey would not tell where she hid them. Nothing worked on Tracey – gentle persuasion, stern talking, not even bribery would get her to tell us where she hid the keys. Finally, Peck and Aunt Janice volunteered to drive back to Quincy to retrieve another set of keys. In the meantime, Daddy decided to lie down on the couch and take a little nap. Imagine his surprise, when putting his hand underneath the pillow, what did he find but the keys! Unfortunately, by that time, Peck and Aunt Janice had already left. Mama and Daddy were so touched by Tracey’s love and devotion and her desire to keep Daddy at the beach, they couldn’t even fuss at her! (I imagine Peck and Aunt Janice weren’t too happy though!)
Daddy was fortunate to have been loved by two women in his life – our mother, Joyce, for almost thirty years, and then by his second wife, Erline. Before Daddy and Erline were known to be an ‘item’, a young man saw Daddy in town one day and told him he was sorry to hear that his power steering had gone out on his truck. Daddy was taken aback and stated that there was nothing wrong with his power steering. The young man replied, “Well, I figured the reason “Miss Erline” was sitting so close to you was to help you steer!” Those of you that knew and remember Daddy can imagine how red his face got! I think we all figured out the way their relationship was going from that incident!
I am sorry that I cannot be there with you today, but please know that I am there in spirit. I will be thinking of you all and praying for a happy and blessed Betts Family Reunion.
Kimberly Betts Greene
William Ausmus Betts
May 14, 1925
Parents:
Ausmus Outler (Gunter) Betts
July 25, 1894 – November 8, 1959
Sybil Blair Betts
June 27, 1906 – January 22, 1983
Siblings:
Ralph W. Betts – January 3, 1927 – October 14, 1929
Joyce Betts Ware
Gwen Betts Wingate
Jean Betts Fuller
Spouse:
Ruth Walker Betts – October 14, 1944
Children:
Ronnie Walton Betts – b. November 6, 1947
William Ausmus Betts, Jr. – b. May 25, 1953 – d. June 12, 1953
James Michael Betts – b. June 1, 1954
Ausmus gave his life to Christ and was baptized in the Betts mill pond as was the custom of the church during those early years. In 1941 he graduated from Faceville School. On October 14, 1944 he was married to Ruth Walker; HAPPY ANNIVERSERY on 64 wonderful years, by Reverend Lee Long who is a former Pastor of Franklin Baptist Church. Ausmus, more fondly known as “papa” to his family, and Ruth were blessed with two sons, Ronnie and Michael and they have seven grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren as of this writing.
When Ausmus and Ruth first married he farmed with Mr. Burton in Faceville. He then moved his family to Climax. He worked in Quincy at Quincy Cabinet Works with his Uncle “Peck” Betts for some 30 plus years. He began working as a substitute mail carrier in 1974 and a full time mail carrier in 1978. He retired from the Postal Service in 1997. During his time as a mail carrier he always showed great kindness to many on his mail route, especially the sick and elderly by walking their mail to their door. He also continued to farm with his two sons during this time.
Ausmus and Ruth joined Climax Baptist Church when they moved to Climax in the 1940’s. Michael and I have lots of memories from our years growing up, but what we want to remember here are those characteristics that are truly important. First would be Daddy’s unbending faith in God, this has never faltered through all the years and difficult situations that life presented. He has been a deacon in Climax Baptist Church for as long as we can remember and also taught Sunday school class during many of those years, he always been a stalwart in the Church. His faith is demonstrated in the way he lives his life and the way in which we were brought up. The second important characteristic is his devotion to family. He is always there to help when we need him and never says no. A third thing we recall is his willingness to help others. Many a day he would work a full day and then come home and work until 9:00 or 10:00 at night. helping family or friends make repairs, add on to their house, or enclose a garage. Even now that he has “retired” he spends a lot of his time in his workshop building cabinets, repairing things and making picture frames for family and friends. You can also find him enjoying a ride around the farm on his “gator.” He is admired by many people in the community for his strong Christian faith in God, his devotion to his wife and his love for family and friends.
This is a special day for Daddy and we wanted to pay tribute to him, but we can’t quit without saying, “behind every good man is a good woman.” Mama has also always been there to support and help when we needed her. We love you both and thank you for teaching us the truest values in life.
Love,
Ron and Michael
October 26, 2008