TYNER – Betty Gray Bennett Britton of Tyner, NC, (Gilbert’s Beach), beloved wife of the late Cecil R. Britton, passed away peacefully of natural causes on December 9, 2014 at Sentara Albemarle Medical Center in Elizabeth City, NC. She was 96 years old.

Betty Gray was born January 22, 1918 in Roanoke Rapids, NC to James Bryant Bennett and Susan Virginia Ward Bennett. She was predeceased by six sisters: Hilda, Pearl, Eva, Beatrice, Charlotte and Mary Elizabeth; and five brothers: Charles Benjamin, Elmo “Elmer”, James, J. Warren and Irvin.

Betty Gray married Cecil Britton on September 4, 1937 in Williamston, NC. She devoted her life to making a warm and loving home for their family, applying her many talents in the kitchen and garden. She was a gifted seamstress, making lovely clothes for herself and others as well as beautiful heirloom quilts. Betty Gray loved animals and had many devoted pets throughout her life. She had little formal education but was blessed with a natural intelligence, abundant curiosity and keen wit. She enjoyed reading, music and especially fishing, still casting her line in the ChowanRiver well into her 90s. Above all, she loved meeting people and sharing a joke, though never at anyone else’s expense; her greatest delight was in making others laugh. She never met a stranger and was a friend to all.

Betty Gray is survived by her three sons: Cecil “Dukey” and his wife Annabelle “Belle” of Sierra Vista, AZ, Joseph of Anderson, IN, and Bobby of Tyner, NC.  Her grandchildren include Shannon Britton-Jones and her husband Benno Jones of Seattle, WA; Bobby Britton II and his wife, Beth of Palmer, AK; Bradley Britton and his wife Lynn of Roxobel, NC; Stephanie Jacobs and her husband Robert of Lewiston-Woodville, NC; Aaron Britton of Melbourne, FL; and Bryan Britton of Anderson, IN.  Her great-grandchildren include, Lindsay Jacobs of Roxobel and Grace and Gillian Britton of Palmer, AK.

Funeral services will be held at Garrett-Sykes Funeral Service Chapel, Ahoskie, NC, on Saturday, December 13, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. with burial to follow at Hoggard Memorial Cemetery, Lewiston, NC.

We love you so much, Mother/Grandomommie/Ma Ma. You were the light of our lives. Your beautiful smile and generous spirit will live on in each of your family and we will never stop missing you or being grateful for the joy you brought us.

Garrett-Sykes Funeral Service is handling the arrangements for the Britton family and online condolences may be directed to them by visiting www.garrettsykesfs.com.