Betty Gill

Betty Joyce Gill, 84, of Ozark, Alabama passed away on Friday evening, May 8, 2020 in her sleep.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am on Wednesday, May 13, 2020 in the Fuqua-Bankston Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Merrell Henry officiating. Burial will follow in Woodlawn Memory Gardens.  The family will receive friends on Tuesday, May 12, 2020 at Fuqua-Bankston Funeral Home in Ozark from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

Flowers/plants are being accepted or memorials may be made to the Breast Cancer Foundation (breastcancer.org) in honor of her being a breast cancer survivor.

Betty is survived by her three children and daughter-in-law, Brenda Briseno of Panama City Beach, FL, Keith and Marianne Gill of Grapevine, TX, and Lynn Gill of Panama City Beach, FL as well as her brothers Bill Boland of New Brockton, AL, Jay Boland of Chattanooga, TN, and Jearl Boland of Elba, AL.  She is also survived by 5 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Betty was preceded in death by her husband Clayton Earl Gill, her parents Sid and Adee Boland, her sisters Sara Jo Littlefield and Kayron Cox, and her brothers Henry Boland and Tokey Boland.

Betty was born in April 1936 in Elba, AL and was one of eight children.  She was a smart student and often talked about how she skipped a grade early in school and graduated high school at 17.  She then met and married the love of her life, Earl Gill of Ozark, AL at age 17.  Earl and Betty moved to Michigan where she had her 3 children while also working for General Motors sewing seat fabric for automobiles.  She also used the wonderful sewing skills to make clothes for herself and her children.

Earl and Betty moved back to Ozark, AL in 1968.  Betty started working for the telephone company as an operator then as a facility assignment specialist before ending her 25-year career as the secretary to the district manager. Later, Betty worked several years for the city/mayor’s office in Ozark, many may remember her sweet smiling face.  Betty could not go anywhere in Ozark without having several people come up to her and give her a hug.

Betty was a devoted wife, loving mother, mema and great-mema.  She had a wealth of family and friends that she dearly loved.    One of her favorite hobbies was bowling.  She started bowling in tournaments and leagues while in Michigan and was still bowling in leagues up to a few years ago.  Betty was also an avid Alabama Crimson Tide fan, she watched their games every weekend and sometimes went to Tuscaloosa to watch in person with her family.

Betty was a member of the Campground Baptist Church in Ozark; she had a wonderful relationship with our Lord and is now celebrating with him and all of her family already in heaven.