Betty Stone Keown Davidson passed away on April 9, 2015, at the age of 86. A memorial service will take place on Sunday, April 12, 2015, at 4 p.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Decatur, Alabama, with visitation prior to the service from 3 to 4 p.m. Burial will follow the service in Decatur City Cemetery.
Betty was a loving mother, wife, grandmother and friend to many people. She had a kind, caring spirit that touched people in positive ways.
She was born Betty Jane Stone on April 20, 1928, in Birmingham, Alabama, to Melvin Rudolph Stone and Janie Mitchell Stone. Betty moved several times with her family in early years, living in Birmingham, New Orleans, Nashville and Sheffield. In her junior year of high school, Betty moved from Sheffield High School to Decatur and graduated from Decatur High School in 1945. She attended Florence State Teachers College, and then moved to Mobile, Alabama, where she worked for the Mobile Chamber of Commerce. In 1950, she married J. Frank Keown, and they moved to Decatur where they remained married until his death in 2005. In 2007, she married Thomas O. Davidson, whose wife, Jo, passed away in 2005.
At Westminster Presbyterian Church, Betty was the first female Moderator for the North Alabama Presbytery and also served as church treasurer. She served on the session, as a Sunday school teacher and committee head. Betty was also involved with the community, including the Junior Service League of Decatur, serving as President in 1964 and also as committee chair for numerous committees. She was active as a homeroom mother, officer with PTAs, and Vice President of the city-wide PTA Council. Betty was also helpful with the organizational activities of Burningtree Country Club in 1965.
Betty was employed in several jobs in the community through the years. She worked with Decatur Transit, Gulf Oil and at Alabama Flour Mills as secretary for the Vice President until 1954, when she left to focus on raising a family. She later worked as church secretary at Westminster, assistant for Cockrell & Keown Realty, and then later as assistant manager, manager and board member of Presbyterian Towers in Decatur. In 2002, the community room at Presbyterian Towers was named for Betty based on her love for and work with residents and her devotion above and beyond the call of duty.
Betty was preceded in death by her parents and by her brother, Charles Melvin Stone.
She is survived by her loving husband, Thomas Davidson, by her sons John Franklin Keown Jr. (Robin), Gary Robert Keown (Bridget), both of Decatur, and by her stepsons, Tom Davidson (Sherri), of Hoover, John Davidson (Debbie), of Decatur, and Dan Davidson (Regan), of Hoover. Betty is also survived by 13 grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, as well as many nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be made to Westminster Presbyterian Church or Hospice of the Valley.
Please sign our online registry at .
