Betty Davis Howell, age 90, passed away peacefully on April 29th, 2021 at Dominion Assisted Living in Johnson City, TN with her family by her side.
Betty was born September 7, 1930 in Letcher, KY to Ocie Onalee (Pridemore) Davis and William Jennings Bryant Davis. She was preceded in death by her one and only child, and the sparkle in her eye, Benjy Bryant Howell (1952-1989), and her one and only true love, her husband of 65 years Benny Frederick Howell (1930-2016).
Betty spent more than 40 years, working in retail in Cherokee, NC, where she welcomed visitors from around the world to the Great Smoky Mountains. She enjoyed her work so much that she worked until she was well into her 80’s.
She and her husband Ben lived previously in Johnson City, TN; Charlotte, NC; and Jacksonville, FL, and travelled extensively both for work and pleasure before settling down on 10 acres (“the farm”) in Bryson City, NC. There they lived in a unique home Ben designed and built them almost completely by himself.
Soon after Ben’s death in 2016 she moved to Johnson City to have dozens more grocery stores to shop, but conveniently her family and friends just happened to live there too.
She enjoyed a good laugh, watching Steve Harvey on Family Feud, attending church, working out at the gym (until she was 88 years old!), and watching her Duke Blue Devils basketball games.
She is survived by one sister, Jeanette Cantrell (Pound, VA); her brother Jennings Bryant (“JB”) Davis, Falls Church, VA; her granddaughter Holly Howell Giese and husband Travis (Johnson City); her grandson Kevin Howell and wife Mesina (Kingsport); her daughter-in-law Janice Howell (Johnson City); and her great-grandchildren Kylah Rogers, Emma Giese, and Keaton Rogers, all of Johnson City.
Betty was of the Wesleyan Methodist faith and really treasured her time spent, and friends made, at Cornerstone Wesleyan Church in Bryson City prior to her moving to Johnson City.
A small private service for family will be held and her ashes will be placed beside her husband Ben’s at the family burial site in Appalachia, VA, per her wishes.
In lieu of cards or flowers, the family asks that you spend some extra time with your loved ones, especially with our seniors, and especially during this pandemic, or make a donation to her favorite charity (St. Judes), or to a charity of your choosing.
We also ask that you hug a nurse, and we extend a special thank you to all the nurses and staff at Dominion Assisted Living and Amedisys Hospice for their care and compassion.