Betty Ann Hagood Brumley

A 1960 graduate of Colbert County High School, she would continue her education at Alverson-Draughon Business College, where she learned skills she would use during her various jobs through the years. If anyone ever married the love of her life, it was Betty Hagood. In August of 1962, she married Donald R. Brumley. They grew up in the same small community, riding the bus to school together and her parents shopping in his parents’ country store. Theirs was a life of togetherness —- working side by side for most of their marriage. Just after they wed, they both worked at the Dairy Bar and would go on to work together at Associates Financial Corporation. Betty also worked at the cotton gin, where she used her business degree to do office work but also learned to grade cotton’s quality by seeing how far the cotton fibers would stretch. She went on to work at the unemployment office and for Styleline Tile Company. However, she decided that she preferred working alongside her husband and finished her career at Brumley’s Home Furnishings, where she and Don served their customers as owner/operators for over twenty-five years.

Although Betty worked for most of her life, family time was always her priority. Don and his darling wife —- Don’s term of endearment for Betty -— had two children, Rachelle Lee and Donnie Shane Brumley. Betty was always the best class mom for her children, cooking the best goodies for class parties and chaperoning trips to drama competitions —- even at a moment’s notice. Betty loved participating in her children’s educations and even set up a huge display of her extensive doll collection for their classmates to enjoy. When Rachelle married Chuck Carroll, Betty could not wait to become Monk Monk to her grandchildren, CaraGrace Adon and Joel Brockton. At Monk Monk’s school, Betty found joy in teaching her grandchildren about the different birds she loved to feed (CaraGrace’s first word was “bird” and Brock – at age three – could wow people with his ability to identify a rose-breasted grosbeak). They also helped her pick the flowers she loved to grow and arrange into beautiful bouquets which she would share with friends and family. Once CaraGrace and Brock began attending “real” school, she became super class grandmother, known for the intricate watermelon carvings she would bring to share during Watermelon Festival Week. She enjoyed her after-school time with the kids and always had a snack and cold drink waiting in the car.

Anyone privileged to know Betty well could tell you how wonderful a cook she was: her chicken stew and butter rolls were second to none. And if you knew her really well, you might know how talented she was at decorating —- for showers, for weddings, for proms. But what you might not know is what she did for others behind the scenes because she never sought the glory for her actions; she just did them. Whether it was being secret Santa for an underprivileged child or serving the elderly, Betty had a true servant’s heart with a special gift for finding those who had needs and an even greater gift for meeting those needs in a way that allowed people to keep their dignity.

Throughout her life, in all these different ways, Betty shared her love of Jesus. Her family knows well the well-worn, little red Bible that stayed by her bed and was read each night before the lights went out. The most important and precious gift that she ever gave her loved ones is the assurance of meeting again in heaven.

Besides her parents, Betty was also predeceased by her sisters, Jean H. Guthrie and Helen Hagood.

She leaves to cherish her memory her husband Donald Brumley; daughter, Rachelle Carroll; son, Shane Brumley; son-in-law, Chuck Carroll; granddaughter, CaraGrace Carroll; grandson, Brock Carroll; brother, David Hagood; sister-in-law, Louise Hagood; several nieces and nephews, and many others she thought of as family who lovingly called her Monk Monk.

Pallbearers are Chuck Carroll, Jeff Craft, Luke Hester, Bill King, Kevin Montgomery, Chris Turner, and David Vinson. Honorary pallbearers are Bob Brewer, Dantley Cox, Ty Cox, Jeremy Franks, Charles Hogan, and Davis Moody.

Visitation will be held at the Colbert Memorial Chapel on Friday, June 14, 2024, from 12:00-2:00. Funeral service will be at 2:00 with Bro. Mark Mayfield officiating. Burial will immediately follow in the Colbert Memorial Gardens.