Betty Lewis Connell, 91, of Fitzgerald, formerly of Ocilla, died Thursday, July 7, 2016, at her residence.
Graveside services will be held 10 AM, Saturday, July 9, 2016, at Ocilla Cemetery in Ocilla, with the Rev. Alvin Lewis officiating.
Mrs. Connell was born July 5, 1925, in Tifton, Georgia, to the late Lessie Alvin & Frances Bohannon Lewis. She was a graduate of Berrien County High School and attended Valdosta State College. She returned to Nashville to work as a secretary at Ideal Spray Company. In 1947, she married Julian Connell. They moved to Ocilla in 1952 where Julian became co-owner and editor of The Ocilla Star, along with Betty’s father, Lessie. She was employed as the bookkeeper at Hybernia’s for 25 years.
When she was 16 years old, Betty started a Sunday school class for the kids in the Berrien community where she lived. One of the local churches heard about this and started supplying books for her and her students. She was a member of Pine Level United Methodist Church. While she and Julian were raising their three children in Ocilla, she helped organize new Brownie and Girl Scout Troops for her daughters to attend and was later a cub master for the local Cub Scout Troop where her son was a member. She loved to cook and enjoyed playing solitaire.
She is survived by her daughters: Julie & Harold Brown and Beth & Bob Bryant and her son, James L. “Jim” Connell, all of Fitzgerald; her grandchildren and their spouses: Chad & Adrienne Brown, Robert & Alicia Bryant, Paulk & Kristin Bryant, Brooke Mitchell, and Julian Connell; four great-grandchildren: Ben Brown, Poppy Brown, Rebecca Mitchell, and Maybre Mitchell; and one brother, Alvin & Marilyn Lewis of Tifton. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Julian Connell; and a brother, Milton Lewis.
The family suggests those desiring to send memorials may send them to Pine Level United Methodist Church, c/o Harold Brown, 345 Peachtree Road, Fitzgerald, GA 31750.