Betty Jean Blankenship

Betty was born February 26, 1940, in Charleston, South Carolina, daughter of the late Gordon Otto and Lottie Weatherford.

She was also preceded in death by her biological mother, Maggie Mae Singletary Grooms, her beloved son, George Ichael Parrott, beloved brother, Gilbert Weatherford, her sisters, Geneva Singletary Rudd, Marie Grooms McCoy, Eunice Weatherford Smith and brother, Nelson Weatherford. She is survived by her daughter, Joyce Peggy Mae Gromely (Cross, SC); sisters, Alline Fairburn (Odenville AL), Eva Singletary Clement (Goose Creek SC), Dorothy Weatherford Smoak (Candler NC); a number of nieces, nephews and cousins.

She attended North Charleston High School.

Betty was 18 years old when she began working at Eagles Dime Store on Rivers Ave in North Charleston where Gaslight Square is currently located. Her career then turned to sewing (baby clothes) when she worked for four years at the Hanahan School Timer Sewing Room and at the Summerville Sewing Room for two years. From there, she moved to the Desney Company, on the other side of Summerville, making pillow shams, dust ruffles and bed pillows called “husbands.” She worked there for several years until they went out of business.

After that, Betty was a wife, a mother and caregiver for her own mother, Lottie, until her death in 1983. Later in life, Betty was caregiver for her brother, Gilbert, and her son, George.

She was highly skilled at needlework, specifically embroidering and crocheting. Betty learned to cook at an early age, and everyone loved her country style cooking and baking. When she no longer cooked as much, she enjoyed collecting and looking at cookbooks of all kinds.

The family would like to express their gratitude to the staff of the Lowcountry Community Hospice House, Summerville, SC, for their compassion and professional care. A special thanks to her private caregivers, Sheryl Green, who was with Betty for four- and one-half years and more recently, Beverly Mitchell, for providing a loving, calming presence to Betty and her family.

The relatives and friends of Betty Jean Weatherford Blankenship are invited to attend her funeral services on October 26, 2023, at Carolina Memorial Funeral Home, 7113 Rivers Ave., N. Charleston, SC 29406, (843)797-2222. The family will receive friends from 12:00PM until 1:00PM with the service to follow immediately at Carolina Memorial Chapel. In lieu of flowers, it is requested that donations be made to Betty’s favorite charities, The Shriners Children’s Hospital and St Jude Children’s Hospital.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.carolinamemorial.com.