Betty Sargent

Asheville, Betty Jane Meeker Sargent, age 94, a resident of Givens Estates Retirement Community in Asheville, went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, July 28, 2015. She was born in Rochester, New York, on August 24, 1920, to the late Alfred and Mildred Lancaster. A graduate of Charlotte High School, she was the Assistant Secretary Treasurer of the American Nepheline Company until 1946 while attending the University of Rochester. A member of Asbury First United Methodist Church, where she met and married Willard Franklin Meeker, she committed her life to raising her family as a loving mother and homemaker. They moved to New Jersey in 1951 and were members of Collingswood First United Methodist Church for 37 years, serving the Lord in many capacities. Retiring to Waynesville, North Carolina in 1998, they became active members of First United Methodist Church of Waynesville until their move to Givens Estates in 1998. Willard died in 2000, and she married Roland Sargent in 2002. In addition to her first husband of 56 years, Willard Meeker, Betty was also preceded in death by a son, Lynn Alan Meeker; her second husband of 11 years, Roland Sargent; her brothers, Robert and Glenn Lancaster; and sisters, Joyce Hugenbruch and Maude Frank. Surviving are her daughter and son-in-law, Patrice and Dr. Michael Masters of Clyde; her stepdaughter, Nancy Mertz and Tom of Dexter, Michigan; her stepson, Peter Sargent and Cathy of Chapel Hill, North Carolina; as well as her step-grandchildren, step-great-grandchildren, and nieces and nephews, along with their families. A special thank you to her long-time caregiver, Cindy McCurry, as well as to caregivers Jennifer, Michelle, Francina, Angela, Laurie and Rebecca from Interim HealthCare and the staff of Givens Health Center. Funeral services will be held at 12:00 Noon Saturday, August 1, 2015 in the Waynesville Chapel of Wells Funeral Home with Reverend Tammy Bales officiating. Burial will follow at Garrett-Hillcrest Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 11:00 a.m. until service time at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to CarePartners Hospice Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 25338, Asheville, NC 28813 or Givens Estate Residence Assistance Fund, 2360 Sweeten Creek Road, Asheville, NC 28803.

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