Betty Jane Weldon

Betty Jane Weldon was born in Fairfield County, South Carolina on April 5, 1939. She entered into eternal rest on Dec. 23, in Columbia, South Carolina. She was the eleventh child born to the union of Willie and Bertha (Rabb) Weldon.

Betty Jane was educated in the public schools of Fairfield County, graduating from the newly established McCrorey-Liston High School in 1958. She received her A.B. degree from Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina in 1963 and later completed her M.S. degree in Early Education Administration from Longwood College in Farmville.

Teaching was one of Betty Jane’s passions from an early age. She began her career as an elementary school teacher in Warrenton, Georgia before moving to Charlotte Court House, where she accepted a position as a third-grade teacher at Drakes Branch Elementary School during its first year of integration. She later taught at Bacon District Elementary School in Saxe and Central Elementary School in Charlotte Court House. She also served as Projects Director, Supervisor of the Media Center and Coordinator of the Chapter I program for Reading Instruction at the Charlotte County School Board Office before taking early retirement from the Charlotte County public schools at the age of 55.

Betty Jane fell in love with Charlotte Court House—a southern rural town that shared much in common with the Fairfield County community she grew up in. She was a Girl Scout leader, an active member of the Charlotte County Education Association, the NAACP, the Charlotte County Democratic Party and the Retired Teacher’s Association. She also served as an elder and session member of the Gethsemane Presbyterian Church in Drakes Branch, where she sang on the choir and participated in the Gethsemane Presbyterian Women’s group.

As the family historian, Betty Jane meticulously traced the roots of her family tree from the “Big House” in Jackson Creek, where her sharecropper parents first got married, to Jenkinsville, and ultimately to the Greenbrier Community where they bought the “old Walter McKintry Plantation” and built their home. Family reunions were enriched by the many pictures and heirlooms that she collected and the many stories that she shared. She was the primary caregiver for her mother, Bertha, and oldest sister, Marjorie, in their final years. And the entire family was blessed by her vibrant spirit and zest for life.

Betty Jane was preceded in death by seven sisters, Annie Lee Sancho, Bertha Weldon, Marjorie Weldon Owens, Mary Ellen Lewis, Mattie Owens, Odaris Weldon, and Oreather Brown and three brothers, Charles Weldon, Paul Weldon, and Willie Thomas Weldon.

She leaves behind one sister, Ruth Daniels, and one brother, John Henry Weldon, as well as dozens of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends who will all miss her dearly.

A graveside service was held on Tuesday, Jan. 4, at 2 p.m., at Trinity Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Farmville. Condolences may be expressed at www.JeffressFuneralHome.com.

Arrangements were by Jeffress Funeral Home and Cremation Service of Brookneal.

SportsPlus

Lifestyle Main

In retirement, Charlotte County vet focuses on horse training

High School

Randolph-Henry rallies, picks up second straight win on walk-off

Local

RAM Clinic opens up, free medical services offered this weekend

Education

Sarah Ruppel-Lee chosen as this month’s “Noteworthy Statesman”

Local

FACES, other food banks struggle with federal cuts

Community Calendar

Gazette Church and Community Calendar week of March 26

Local

Blair Trent announces candidacy for Commonwealth’s Attorney

Education

Charlotte school district officials outline money concerns

Local

Charlotte reassessment will bring ‘sticker shock’, officials say

Lifestyle Main

Curtain goes up for Randolph-Henry High

Columns

Tammy Mulchi: Explaining what Executive Order 47 is

Local

Pothole, storm cleanup continues throughout Charlotte County

Business

PJM says transmission line may work for solar projects

College

Hampden-Sydney bows out in Sweet 16 battle

Community Calendar

Randolph-Henry Statesmen set the stage for Oz production

Local

Who fills Gary Walker’s seat? Charlotte supervisors detail timeline

Local

Charlotte health center deals with federal funding questions

Business

Battery storage issue sent back to Charlotte Planning Commission

Business

Some of Dominion’s solar projects in Charlotte get pushed back

Local

Why is budget season delayed in Charlotte County?

Church & Community

Gazette Church and Community Calendar week of Feb. 28

Education

Gazette News Briefs: Primary order issued, textbooks open for view

Local

Gazette News Briefs: McGuire files Safety Act, primary order issued

Local

Final Virginia budget includes tax rebates, teacher bonuses