Betty Smith Justice, age 87, of Davis Road, Forest City, died Friday, January 15, 2016 at the Hospice House of Rutherford County.
Betty was born at Hickory Grove, South Carolina on September 16, 1928 to the late Mason William Smith and Guy Nelle Philips Smith.
She was preceded in death by her parents and two brothers Mason W. Smith, Jr. and George Robert Smith, Sr. of Charlotte, NC.
She is survived by her son, James Mason Justice, two grandsons whom she reared as her own, Mason Stuart Justice and James Shawn Justice, both of Forest City; two great-grandsons, Mason and Gavin Justice.
Betty's interest in church, civic education, political and club affairs began at an early age and continued throughout her life. She taught Sunday School at Chimney Rock Baptist Church and was president of the Uree Home Demonstration Club, a 4H home leader and a member of the Hickory Nut Gorge Women's Club and Vice-President of the Rutherford County Historical Society. She also served as 2nd Lieutenant of the Hickory Nut Gorge Squadron NC Wing of the Civil Air Patrol during World War II. She loved flying and piloted Piper J-3 Cub and Aeronca L-16 planes.
She was instrumental in forming five Republican Women's Clubs and served as President of the Burke County, Lake Lure and Rutherford County Chapters. She served as Rutherford County coordinator for Congressman Cass Ballenger and the Chimney Rock Township Republican Chairwoman. She late served as the Vice-President of the NC Republican Women's Committee and was presented the Golden Elephant Award by Congressman Charles Taylor.
During her fifty-year membership in the Eastern Star she served as the Worthy Matron of the Mimosa Chapter #269 in Morganton, Green River Chapter #375 and was a charter member of the St. Andrews Chapter in Columbia, SC. She was named the Grand Representative to the State of Wisconsin from the North Carolina Order of the Eastern Star.
Her devotion to the Christian Science Church was exemplified in terms of service as Board Chairman and 1st and 2nd Reader in the Tryon Church and Hickory Church. She always enjoyed arranging flowers for the Sunday services.
After graduation in 1945 from R-S Central High School, she continued her interest in learning at Columbia Bible College, Western Piedmont Community College and Special Education for the Deaf at Lenoir Rhyne College and UNC-Chapel Hill.
Betty operated the Lure Haven Restaurant in Lake Lure and traveled for Slater System Food Management. She retired after twenty-five years with the NC School of Deaf and published the Smart Shopper.
Funeral services will be conducted at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, January 18, 2016 at the Harrelson Funeral Chapel with Reader Rebecca Kemp officiating. The family will receive friends immediately following the services at the funeral home. A graveside service will be conducted on Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. in the Hickory Grove Cemetery in Hickory Grove, SC.
Harrelson Funeral and Cremation Services has been entrusted with arrangements.
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