Betty Ruth Statom James, age 84, of Florence, passed away Monday, February 27, 2017, at Mitchell-Hollingsworth Summit Rehab after a brief illness, surrounded by her children and loved ones. The family will receive friends at Greenview Memorial, Florence, Friday, March 3rd, from 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. with a memorial service held immediately following in the funeral home chapel. Burial will be at Greenview Memorial.
Betty was born in Florence, Alabama, on March 19, 1932, and was a lifelong resident. The youngest of seven children, she learned the value of family at a very early age and there was an abundance of love between those seven siblings.
Upon graduation from Mars Hill Bible School, she married her high school sweetheart, Harold Lee James, in 1951. Harold enrolled in the Navy and they moved to Norfolk, Virginia where he was station. She worked as a switchboard operator for the Chesapeake-Potomac Phone Company while Harold proudly served our country during the Korean War. After his tour of duty, they moved back to Florence, where she lived the rest of her life. She settled into life as a housewife and raised four children, all of whom she was very proud.
Betty loved music and, for many years, was a proud member of the Mother Singers and Sweet Adeline’s. She was raised in the Church of Christ and was a lifelong member of Stony Point Church of Christ, of which her Mother and uncle were founding members. She also attended Chisholm Hills Church of Christ with her sister, Dolly, for many years.
She was known as “Bet’ to all of her friends. And, when she made a friend, they were a friend for life. Generation after generation shared their lives with her through letters, cards, and photos with stories of their children’s children, and she kept every memory. She never met a stranger and her web of friends stretches across the globe. Her generous nature and loving spirit will live on in all who were blessed to know Betty Ruth. She is deeply loved and will be sorely missed.
Betty was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years, Harold Lee James; father, John Price Statom; Mother, Muncie Venetta Sharp Statom; brother, Nolen Sharp Statom; sisters Lois Katherine Hodges and Dolly Francis Hickman.
She is survived by her children, Jennifer Aston (Don) of Florence, Joni James of Sheffield, Jerry James and Joey James both of Florence. She is also survived by five beloved grandchildren, Jackie Rice (Rick) of Florence, Julie Richardson, of Birmingham, Hillary James, of Nashville, Hudson James and Sam Hayes James, both of Florence as well as her brother John Price Statom, Jr. (Alice) and sisters Hilda Me Zahnd and Mallie Jo Campbell, her special cousin/sister/sidekick, Deedie Gibbs, her best friend of 66 years, Patti Baumhower, as well as her numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.
Pallbearers will be Jimmy Hickman, Scotty Hickman, Tracy Statom, Josh Statom, Jeff Gibbs and Kermit Crew. Honorary Pallbearers are Ronald Berkey, Doug Hendon, Joe Hodges, Johnny Hodges, Asif Jamal and Jim Brooks.
The family would like to thank Dr. Ricky Irons for his many years of care, the staff of Brookdale Florence for being so good to her during the last year of her life, and the staff of Mitchell-Hollingsworth Summit Rehab for their kind, tender and loving care shown during her stay there.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to The American Heart Association, St. Judy Children’s Research Center, the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library, The Salvation Army or Stony Point Church of Christ Cemetery Fund, in her memory.
