Turner County lost one of its most respected and loved citizens with the death of Betty Irene Knowles Alexander, 88, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2011 at the home of her daughter in Little River, SC.
Graveside funeral services will be at 3:00 PM, Tuesday, Feb. 15 in Rose Hill Cemetery in Ashburn. The Rev. Allan Miller, Rev. Mark Knowles and The Rev. Dr. T. Mark Verdery officiating. The family will receive friends Tuesday from 12:30 until 2:30 at Perry Funeral Chapel.
Mrs. Alexander was born Jan. 1, 1923, in Turner County. She was the daughter of Enos Farman and Jimmie Clements Knowles, both deceased. She was also preceded in death by her beloved husband William Daniel Alexander, Jr., and a sister, Kathryn Collins of Pelham, Ga.
Mrs. Alexander was a lifelong member of the Ashburn First United Methodist Church, where she faithfully and devotedly participated in all facets of church life. A circle of the United Methodist Women was recently named in her honor. She graduated from Georgia Teachers College in Statesboro and furthered her education at Georgia Southwestern State University. She taught science to many of Turner County’s sixth graders. Mrs. Alexander was an avid reader and served on the board of Turner County’s Victoria Evans Memorial Library, where she was also a volunteer. Except for a brief period, she lived in the same house all of her life. She loved her neighbors, and they were a great comfort to her in her later years. She also treasured her family and many friends.
Mrs. Alexander is survived by one son and daughter-in-law, Danny and Kathy Alexander of Tifton; one daughter and son-in law, Ed and Kathy Notareschi of Little River, SC; and one brother, Paul Knowles of Chapin, SC. Grandchildren are Zack (Jennifer) Alexander, Jeni (Sok) Verdery, and Jamie and Rena Notareschi. Great-grandchildren are Dustin and Kallie Alexander and Hattie Verdery.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the First United Methodist Church of Ashburn Building Fund, P. O. Box 69, Ashburn, GA 31714 and Victoria Evans Memorial Library, 605 North ST., Ashburn, GA 31714 would be appreciated. Arrangements are being provided by Perry Funeral Chapel in Ashburn.