Betty Jean Sledge Smith, 81, of Owings Mills, Maryland, died peacefully at her home on Thursday, July 14, 2022, from natural causes.
Betty Jean was born to Avon Henderson Sledge and Dorothy Eva Lawson Sledge in Leighton, Alabama, on January 3, 1941. She was one of ten children. As the daughter of a sawyer, she spent her early years in Iron City, Tennessee. She moved to Florence, Alabama, at the age of 12 and lived in many other states throughout her adult life. One of her favorite places to live was Kure Beach, North Carolina, where she could often be found fishing off the end of Kure Pier. During this same time, she began making hand-crafted stained glass and opened her own gift shop in Carolina Beach named Moon Dancer.
Betty Jean was an avid reader and enjoyed playing cards. One of her favorite past times was getting off the beaten path as she explored the rural countryside. She was very patriotic and loved it when she would see an American flag blowing in the wind. She supported veterans and often thanked them for their service to our country. She also had a soft heart for women and children who needed a hand up in life.
While she had many jobs in her life, she always considered raising a family her mission in life and her greatest joy.
In addition to her parents and eight siblings, Betty Jean was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Louis Edward Smith, Sr. (retired Navy Chief Petty Officer), and her son, Roy Green II.
Those left to cherish her memory include children: Kimberly Layne Golson (LV) of Pensacola, FL, Tracy Green Helms (Travis) of Climax, NC, Anthony Ray Green of Myrtle Beach, SC, Juliet Kami Smith of Owings Mills, MD, and Louis Edward Smith, Jr. (Jill) of Richland, WA; nine grandchildren: Derek, Jillian, Dustin, Daniel, Bryan, Kevin, Terri, Danny, and Emma; eleven great-grandchildren: AceLynn, Chase, Rory, Fiona, Colin, Heath, Reylea, Kayden, Tristan, Lily, Avery; and her sister, Willie Jane Sledge Doyle, as well as a host of nieces, nephews, family, and friends.
The family of Betty Jean requests that you hug your loved ones and play a game of cards to honor her memory.
