Bette Womack Turner, 87, of Tifton, GA, passed away surrounded by her family on December 28, 2021.
Bette, or Mama Bette as she was affectionately known to her eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild, was born in Statesboro, GA on August 26, 1934, to the late Herbert Paul Womack and Ruby Gay Womack. She graduated from Statesboro High School in 1952.
Bette attended the University of Georgia where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Home Economics. She graduated with high honors and was inducted into the Mortar Board National Honor Society her senior year. A proud member of the Alpha Delta Pi sorority, Bette was thrilled when her daughter, Gay, and two of her granddaughters joined Alpha Delta Pi at their respective colleges.
Following her graduation from the University of Georgia, Bette moved to Augusta, GA, where she was employed as a home economist for the Georgia Power Company, and where she met the love of her life, Joe Turner. The couple married in 1957 and had five children in whom Bette took great pride. Deeply devoted to each other, in April, Joe and Bette would have been married 65 years. During the early years of their marriage, while Joe worked long hours as a physician, Bette took extraordinary care of him and their family. As she developed Alzheimer’s late in life, Joe cared for Bette tirelessly and with patience, love, and affection.
When the couple moved to Tifton in 1964, Bette joined First Baptist Church. A devoted Christian, Bette shared her deep faith in her Lord and Savior with her children and grandchildren. As a dedicated servant of the church, she taught Training Union and vacation bible school, volunteered with the children, and was involved in many other church activities. For many years, Bette and Joe shared their faith with members of First Baptist by teaching adult Sunday School classes. Bette took joy in the fellowship and companionship she found at First Baptist. Her talents and gifts are evident throughout the buildings; and many hearts were touched by her kindness and sweet spirit.
Bette took great pride in Tifton and was deeply committed to her community. As her best friend Carolyn Massey once remarked, she “worked to preserve the past, had vision for the future, and helped to build on foundations already laid” in Tifton. She had a deep appreciation for and dedication to education, the visual and performing arts, gardening, and flower arranging, all apparent in her many volunteer contributions.
Bette was named a Distinguished Honorary Alumnus of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in 2003 in recognition of over 20 years of contributions to the college, The Arts Experiment Station, and the ABAC Foundation where she was the first woman elected Chair. The Stallion, ABAC’s student newspaper, awarded Bette the Pace Setter award, an honor given annually to individuals who make outstanding contributions to the college and student life.
Bette was a graduate of the first Leadership Tifton class and a founding member of the boards of Meals on Wheels and Big Brothers/Big Sisters. A member of the Camelia Garden Club since 1965, Bette was the Club’s President and Vice President, was active on all committees, and was Co-Chair of the Tifton Council of Garden Clubs. In her role as Chair of the Fulwood Garden Center Board of Trustees, Bette worked tirelessly to raise funds for the historic facility and grounds.
A committed supporter of the arts, Bette was active on the Board of the Tifton Arts Council, serving six years as President. For her leadership and dedication, she was honored as the Tift County Arts Citizen of the Year. Bette was an original member of the local group that founded Tifton’s fine arts festival, The Love Affair. Often alongside Joe, Bette could be found every year helping with multiple tasks: setting up exhibits, assisting visiting artists, and offering hospitality to the event’s many volunteers and staff. A member of the Executive Board of Georgia Citizens for the Arts, Bette was appointed by Governor Zell Miller to the Georgia Council for the Arts. She was recognized as one of three volunteers in the State for her contributions to the arts.
Bette had the gift of hospitality and was a wonderful cook. She enjoyed entertaining her friends and family with dinner, which was invariably followed by good conversation and a cake for dessert, which she somehow always had on hand. Bette loved her dogs, including many golden retrievers, but particularly her French Brittanys, Smokey, Bandit, and Buddy who were her faithful companions. She enjoyed spending time with her family and friends in Highlands, NC, where they visited for hours on the back porch creating many fond memories with hummingbirds buzzing back and forth and the Blue Ridge Mountains rising in the background.
Bette was pre-deceased by her parents and her son, Joseph Murray Turner, Jr. She is survived by her husband, Dr. Joe Turner; children, Mike Turner of Tifton, Gay Turner Koran (David) of Tifton, Tom Turner (Julie) of Brentwood, TN, Laura Turner Beyer (John) of Charlotte, NC; her grandchildren, Will Koran, Katherine Koran Billings (Billy), Mary John Beyer, Thomas Beyer, William Turner, Hudson Turner, Juliana Turner, and Eliza Jane Turner; and her great-grandson, Beau Billings; her brother, Paul Womack (Ruth) and their daughter, Laura Gallagher, and grand-niece, Connor Gallagher.
The family would like to express their deep gratitude and appreciation to the many healthcare workers and caregivers who provided assistance and loving care to Bette, including Dr. Steve Rigdon, Cassandra Dowers, the staff at Cypress Pond Senior Care, and Hospice of Tift Area.
Funeral services will be held on December 31, at 11:00 a.m. in the chapel at First Baptist Church. Dr. Wayne Roe will officiate with burial to follow at Oak Ridge Cemetary. Weather permitting, the family will receive friends following the burial.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to First Baptist Church of Tifton, 404 Love Avenue, Tifton, GA 31794; Hospice of Tift Area, 618 Tift Avenue North, Tifton, GA 31794; or the Murray Turner Memorial Scholarship at Abraham Baldwin College, ABAC Foundation, ABAC 13, 2802 Moore Highway, Tifton, GA 31793. This is a fund that Bette and Joe created in memory of their son, Murray, to award deserving students financial support to pursue their educational goals.