Betty Lucille Eads Blackwell, 94, was welcomed into her Heavenly home on Friday morning May 31, 2024, at the Magnolia Place in New Albany, MS, surrounded by loved ones.
Funeral Services honoring Mrs. Betty’s life will be at 2 PM June 2, 2024, at The Sanctuary in New Albany, MS, with visitation from 5 PM until 8 PM on Saturday, June 1, 2024, at The Sanctuary in New Albany and will continue from 12 Noon until Service Time on Sunday. Burial will follow in the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ Cemetery in Blue Mountain.
Mrs. Betty was born on February 16, 1930, in Monroe County, Indiana, to the late Claude and Helen Louise Fish Eads. She received her education from Smithville High School and was married on August 28, 1947, to her beloved husband, Kenneth L. Blackwell, who preceded her. A devoted wife, mother, and homemaker, Mrs. Betty cared for her family tremendously. Alongside, Mr. Kenneth, they were “house parents” managing the Blue Mountain Children’s Home and she worked for the North Mississippi Area on aging and setting up deliveries for “Meals on Wheels”.
A true follower of Christ and the oldest charter member of The Sanctuary, Mrs. Betty’s church was her whole life. She started going to church as a twelve-year-old girl and was always faithful to church and God. She taught small children’s Sunday school classes, sang in different gospel groups, and the church choir while living in Indiana. She was “Ladies Auxiliary” director in three of the four churches she attended and greatly filled the role as pastor’s wife, to her husband as he served as youth pastor and assistant pastor at Shiloh Temple, in Bloomington, IN, until they moved to Mississippi and worked with the Blue Mountain Children’s Home. Even during Mrs. Betty’s sickness, she always stayed positive and never missed the opportunity to tell people, “God has been so good to me. I am so blessed. I am so blessed, blessed, blessed!”. Today we know she is now truly experiencing the true goodness and blessings our Lord and Savior has prepared for us.
Those left to cherish her memories include one son, Daniel K. Blackwell (Bertha), one daughter, Lenora Dee Rodgers (Jimmy), one son in law, Greg Robinson, nine grandchildren, Angela K. Riggs (Anthony), Audrea J. Hope (Charles D.), Annetta L. Pearson, Amelia A. Robbins (Nicholes), J. Nicholas “Nick” Rodgers (Clare), Patrick S. Robinson (Bridget), and Kendra J. Robinson, ten great grandchildren, Andrew Riggs, Adam Riggs, Cassandra Hope, Dawson Pearson, Harper, Sawyer, and Tanner Rodgers, Kaitlyn Robbins, Ian Nash, and Braelyn E. Robinson, her sister in laws, Betty Lou Kerr (Everett), Vera May, and Marilyn Eads, brother-in-law, David Sherlock, multiple nieces, nephews, and many special children who called her “Mama Blackwell” that she helped care for during her time with the Blue Mountain Children’s Home.
In addition to her husband of forty-three years, Kenneth Blackwell, she is also preceded in death by her parents, Claude and Louise Eads, her in laws, Earl and Zola Blackwell, her daughter, Joanna L. Robinson, two grandsons, Anthony D. and Joshua K. Robinson, two sisters, Evelyn Sherlock, and Eileen (Robert) Holt, one brother, Kenneth Eads, a sister-in-law, Frieda (David) Freeze, and brother-in-law, Robert D. May.
Those serving as pallbearers will be Ricky Collins, C. D. Hope, Buck Moore, Patrick Robinson, Kendra Robinson, and Nick Rodgers.
Honorary pallbearers will be Greg Robinson, and Jimmy Rodgers.
Ripley Funeral Home invites you to share memories with Mrs. Betty’s family.
