Bettye Jean Russell was born on July the 4th, 1936 in Washington County, Alabama to Daniel E. Donaldson and Elizabeth York. She was raised by Tom Russell and Elizabeth Russell. She is preceded in death by Tom Russell (Stepfather), Elizabeth Russell (Mother), Homer Lee Nobles Jr, (Husband), Homer Lee Nobles Sr. (Father-in-Law), Lillie Roberta Clay (Mother-in-Law), Daniel E. Donaldson (Father), Micheal Donaldson (Stepbrother), and Kenny Donaldson (Stepbrother).
Bettye attended West Bend Elementary School and graduated High School from Clarke County Training School as Valedictorian of her class in May 1954. She received a full scholarship to Alabama A&M University and worked part-time as an Office Assistant on campus. Bettye was a member of the Ben Macarta Social club and graduated in the Class of 1960 earning her Bachelors of Science Degree in Elementary Education.
After graduation, she worked as Secretary to the Division of Arts and Sciences at Alabama A&M University. During those days Bettye met the love of her life, Homer Lee Nobles Jr who had recently returned to Huntsville after his service in the United States Air Force. The two were joined together in Holy Matrimony on April 16, 1960. She later worked as an Accounting Clerk at the Brown Engineering Company. Bettye started her Professional Teaching career just across the street from Saint James Primitive Baptist Church, at Calvary Hill School in 1965.
In 1972, School Integration Laws were passed and Bettye and her son (Ronald) integrated West Mastin Lake Elementary School as the First Black Teacher and the First Black student in a former all white school in Huntsville. A few years later, she accepted a position as the Federal Emergency School Assistant (ESA) Program Math and Reading Teacher and Curriculum Coordinator. Bettye assisted students who were six months to two years behind their normal grade learning levels and brought them back up to speed. She co-authored a book, called “ESA Activities” written to help parents of those students, to reinforce learned skills taught in the classroom in their home environments.
During Bettye’s 25-year teaching tenure, she traveled from school to school in the Huntsville City Educational System for 5 plus years — some of the schools were: Calvary Hill, Montview Elementary, University Place, Stone Middle School, East Clinton Elementary School, Terry Heights Elementary School, Rolling Hills Elementary School, West Huntsville Elementary School, and finally at Ed White Middle School as a Reading and Math Specialist.
Mother Nobles was a faithful member of Saint James P.B. Church for 50 plus years. Mother Nobles served as the first Church Typist and created the first paper copy 11:00 Worship Service Bulletin Programs the Church had. She served as Church Secretary and Finance Committee Member for 23 years. She organized and taught Vacation Bible School for over 20 years and served as a Mother of the Church for 30 years from 1982 until her tragic accident in 2012.
Mother Nobles leaves to cherish her memory: Step Brother, Darrell Donaldson (Pittsburgh, PA), Sister-in-law, Barbara Crutcher (Walter), Sons, Ronald Cass Nobles (Brenda), Tony Grenard Nobles (Cassandra), Daughters, Cassandra Nobles Townsend (Ronald), Traci Nobles Pope (Arnold), Step Daughter, Angela Denice Nobles (Las Vegas, Nevada), Step Son, Homer Lee Nobles III (Freemont, California), Grandchildren, Jonathan Terrell Nobles (Manhattan, Kansas), Nicoya Dionne Boleware (Jimmy), Alexandria Townsend Gilbert (Tramayne), Alexis Samone Townsend, Nalen Denzell Nobles, Torren Gerrod Nobles (Janecha), Tracia Bre’Ana Elizabeth Nobles, Homer Lee Nobles IV (New Braunfels, Texas), and Dayshawn Anthony Nobles, 14 Great Grandchildren, God-Daughters, Alisha Nesbit (Atlanta, GA) and Chris Winston, some very special dear cousins and loved ones: Odysseus Lanier (Tammie) and Andrea Weston (Felix) both of (Houston, Texas), Play Sister Lillie Mae Norwood (Prichard, AL), Juanita Ward (Mobile, Alabama), Darkis Kiel (Mobile, Alabama), Andrea Thompson (Lindsey) (Huntsville, Alabama), Pearl Hall (Huntsville, Alabama), Lucille Owens (Huntsville, Alabama), Patricia Shaw (Huntsville, Alabama), Mother Lucy Young, Mother Carolyn Stone, Dianne Jones, Bertha Lang, Sadie Jefferson, Georgia Wade, Ruby Noble, James and Darlene Wade and a host of other cousins, relatives, friends and loved ones.
Funeral service will be 12:00 noon, Saturday, November 25, 2023, at the Saint James Primitive Baptist Church (1093 Fairbanks St NW, Huntsville, AL 35816). Interment will be in the Valhalla Memory Gardens. Mother Nobles will lie in repose one hour prior to funeral time.
The OES Ceremony will be from 4:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Friday, November 24, 2023, at the Royal Chapel of Memories. Immediately following the ceremony, the Nobles family will receive guests.
Public viewing will be held from 2:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m., Friday, November 24, 2023, and 8:30 until 10:30 a.m., Saturday, November 25, 2023, at the Royal Funeral Home.
