Elizabeth (Betty) Claire McCleskey

Betty lived a long and meaningful life defined by her devotion to family, her deep faith, and her love of life’s simple joys. She found great happiness in music, often spontaneously breaking into song. She took delight in bird watching, and carried her faith as a steady source of strength and comfort. She had a gentle spirit and a warm presence that made others feel welcome and cared for. Whether through a thoughtful word, a shared meal, or simply her steady companionship, she touched countless lives in ways both big and small. In high school, she was voted most popular and most attractive—titles she carried effortlessly her whole life.

She is survived by her brother, Marshall, and her sister, Jane. Betty was a devoted mother to her daughter, Jane Ellen (husband Sid Beasley) and her son, Bryant, from her first marriage to Bob Hendricks. She was a proud grandmother to Cliff (husband Sedrick) and Ross. Through her second marriage to Roger Hall, she embraced and loved his children—Craig, Scott, Jeff (wife Vicki), and John (wife Sharon)—as her own, and cherished her role as grandmother to Michelle (husband Kenneth Taylor), Emily (husband Jeff Buxton), Rachel (husband Matthew Gwilliam), and Jonathan, and great-grandmother to their children. She later shared happy years with her husband, Gayle McCleskey, and remained a loving presence in the lives of his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

There will be a celebration of her life at a future date. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages acts of kindness in her honor—just as she showed throughout her life.