Betty Terrell

Clyde, Betty Best Terrell, age 93, of Sidney Lane, passed away on Tuesday, September 2, 2014 at the John F. Keever, Jr. Solace Center. A native of Haywood County, she was the daughter of the late Hugh C. and Bertie Davis Best. In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her husband, Arnold Terrell, Sr., who died in 1990; two sisters, Helen McCracken and Alpha Williams; and five brothers, Howard, Roger, Phil, Sam, and Carroll Best. She graduated from Western Carolina Teachers College with a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary and Physical Education. Betty spent 44 years in the Haywood County School System as a teacher at Clyde and Crabtree Elementary Schools. She was a member of Fincher's Chapel United Methodist Church, United Methodist Women, and Daughters of the American Colonists. Betty was an extremely gifted "story teller." She entertained her audiences bringing to life our mountain heritage and how we prospered with hard work through the great depression. She authored several books on living in the mountains and the churches within these mountain communities. If you had a problem, Betty was the great problem solver. She would always listen, advise you to work hard, and then issue her prescription for the problem—"Might as well accept it and move on." Betty was especially humble in life with a particular devotion to children with special needs. Finally, Betty loved her gardens and flowers. Every person in her life had a particular flower attached to their lives. Betty is survived by her daughter, Mary Jane Markley, of Clyde; a son, Arnold Terrell, Jr. and his wife, Debra, of Tampa, Florida; three grandchildren, Robert Markley and his wife, Lisa, and Laura and Jonathan Markley; five great-grandchildren, Jayde, Ryan Olivia, Gabriel, Ava, and Charlotte Markley; and many nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, September 5, 2014 in the Waynesville Chapel of Wells Funeral Home with Reverend Curran Welch officiating. Burial will follow at Fincher's Chapel United Methodist Church Cemetery. Serving as pallbearers will be Robert and Jonathan Markley, Ron Muse, Ryan and Jared Councill, Ben and Kelly Williams, and Michael Cobb. The family will receive friends from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. on Thursday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Fincher's Chapel Cemetery Maintenance Fund, 2724 Hyder Mountain Road, Clyde, NC 28721.

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