Betty Jean Alston

Published 11:00 am Friday, October 3, 2014

Betty Jean Alston passed away Sept. 27, 2014, at the age of 80.

She died at approximately 8:30 p.m. at Savannah Healthcare located in Savannah, Tenn.

A service honoring her life will be held at the Utica Baptist Church in Utica today, Oct. 1, 2014, at 11 a.m. Her body will be interred in the Town of Utica Cemetery next to the church.

Mrs. Alston would have been married 63 years on Oct. 22 of this year to Don Evans Alston Sr., who survives her.

They were high school sweethearts attending E.E. Bass Junior-Senior High School in Greenville, and were married before graduating. They made their life loving and supporting their family.

They started out in the Air Force for several years, stationed in California and Texas, and spent many years as farmers and as owners of a sign business in Vicksburg with their oldest son, Don Evans Alston Jr. “Rusty.”

Betty and Don owned a farm in Utica where they made their home and were members of the Utica Baptist Church.

Betty was born in Portland, Ark. on March 5, 1934, to Luther Marion Avery and Sarah Emily Oaks Avery. All of her siblings have preceded her in death. They included, Dorman Avery, Chubby Avery, Jimmy Avery, Jack Avery, Thomas Luther Avery, Eula Jones, Sue Richardson, and Mary Ann Davis.

Betty is survived by her four children, 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren: son Rusty Alston and his wife Debbie of Macon, Ga., and one daughter, Lauren Boler and her husband, Patrick of El Paso, Texas, and twin sons, Braxton and Grayson of Vicksburg; grandchildren, Max Avery Alston of Savannah, Tenn., and his wife, Vicki and their three children, Sarah Emily Byrne and husband, Patrick of El Paso, Texas, and their two sons, Jack Wyatt and Max Everett, and Lindsey Alston of Nashville, Tenn., and John Max Alston of Denton, Texas, and his wife, Bria and two daughters, Olivia and Annabelle; Susan Jill Sawyers and her husband, Rick of Tazewell, Va., and their four daughters, Hannah, Joanna, Miriam, and Rebecca; Mona Jean Nicholas of Jackson and her husband Chris and their two daughters, Avery and Anna Chris.

Two of Betty’s grandchildren who preceded her in death were Jonathan Thomas “JT” and Prince and Rachel Prince of Tazewell, Va.

Pallbearers will be Danny Boler, Rick Sawyers, Sam Nicholas, Chris Nicholas, Patrick Byrne, and John Max Alston.

Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to the Utica Baptist Church by calling 601-855-8806.