Betty Jane Nash

She was born in Corning, New York, on February 1, 1931, the second of five daughters of Rev. F.T. Perry and Neva Switzer. After graduating from Glen Curtis High School in Hammondsport, NY, and Houghton College, she spent the years until her marriage as a Bible Club Movement missionary teaching the Bible in public schools in a three-county area out of Corning, NY. She also spent several summers during this time working at Bancroft Bible Camp in Kingsport, TN. On June 8, 1957, she married Rev. Ronald H. Nash, enjoying her role as a minister’s wife while he pastored several churches in New England and taught at Houghton College while working on his post-graduate degrees. During this time, she also taught first grade in a private school. In 1964, the couple, with their children, relocated to Bowling Green, KY, where the now Dr. Nash became the first chair of the philosophy and religion department at Western Kentucky University. Betty Jane kept herself busy teaching Sunday School in the elementary department at Eastwood Baptist Church, working with Brownies and Girl Scouts, participating in Bible Studies and Book Clubs, and leading Body Recall classes. She also worked at The Christian Bookstore, located on 12th Ave (Broadway) near the First Baptist Church. She enjoyed entertaining, reading, gardening, and doing needle work. Since relocating to Central Florida in 1991, she found herself in the role of substitute teacher at several Christian schools, mentor with Mrs. in Ministry at Reformed Theological Seminary, motivational speaker at women’s events, volunteer at Westminster Winter Park Senior Adult Community, and a doting grandmother. Her greatest joy was her family. She was fortunate to have visited all 50 US States and spent time in many foreign countries with her husband.

Funeral services/internment will be in the Newland Cemetery, Bloomingdale Road, Kingsport, TN, on November 3, 2023. Baldwin- Fairchild Funeral Home (Oviedo, FL) and Hamlett Dobson Funeral Home (Kingsport, TN) are coordinating arrangements.

A service celebrating her life will be held in the Orlando, FL, area at a yet-to-be-determined time and location.

Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions in memory of Betty Nane Nash to Bancroft Bible Ministries, Inc., 141 Bancroft Private Drive, Kingsport, TN 37660.