Betty Reiney Henley left us on July 12th, 2024 to dance with abandon in the golden streets of heaven with her lifelong love and soulmate, Jim. Beautiful and brilliant in life, she was a force to be reckoned with. She touched many lives throughout the years by sharing her deep love of music.
Betty Jane Reiney was born to Nathaniel Keenan Reiney and Allie Irene Cromwell Reiney on October 24, 1933 in the town of Savannah, Tennessee. She grew up in Middle Tennessee with most of her school years being in Lewisburg, Tennessee where her father ran a pencil factory. In addition to graduating as Valedictorian of her class at Marshall County High, she was Drum Major for the marching band and played basketball. She continued her education in Atlanta, Georgia at Agnes Scott College graduating in 1955 with a Bachelor of Arts, Magna Cum Laude and as a member of Phi Beta Kappa. After her children reached school age, she continued her education at Georgia State University earning a Master’s Degree in Music with a minor in Education.
Betty’s love of music started at a young age. She learned to play piano and enjoyed singing in the choir at church. As a teenager, she would take the train into Nashville and take lessons to learn to play the pipe organ. Her skills led to her being invited to spend the summer at Lake Junaluska to play the services at the chapel. Despite her tender age, her parents agreed to let her go since she would have chaperones. On her first day there, a dashingly, handsome young man, working as a bellhop at the hotel, caught her eye and the sparks flew. Their romance was solidified with canoe rides to the post office across the lake and the rest is history.
Betty married James W. Henley, Jr. on a hot August afternoon in Lewisburg, Tennessee on August 27th, 1955. Over time they were blessed with three children, James Walton Henley III, Natalie Henley and Catherine Henley. She taught high school music until the youngest graduated high school then she moved into an IT career which included networking and network security. Betty was always active in the church continuing to play pipe organ for many years and was almost always singing in the choir when she wasn’t playing the organ.
As they approached retirement, Jim and Betty decided to build a cabin at Bent Tree in the North Georgia mountains. They became involved in the community and found likeminded people who also wished to have an Episcopal parish nearby. They joined them as early members of the Episcopal Church of the Holy Family in Jasper, Georgia. Jim helped design the campus to be constructed. Tragically, Jim suffered an unexpected traumatic death on April 19th, 1995. As a memorial to Jim, Betty found and along with memorial funds, donated the Henley Pipe Organ for the new nave so they would have the elegant music she loved so much.
After some time searching for her bearings, she moved to Nashville, TN to be near her youngest grandchildren. She took up ballroom dancing and with great joy, competed all over the country in her fancy feathered and beaded gowns. She resided in the Brentwood area of Nashville, Tennessee for the remainder of her life. She attended worship and sang in the choir at St. George’s Episcopal church until she was no longer able.
She is survived by her Children, James Walton (Melonie Arlette) Henley III, Natalie Henley (Stanley Eugene Seago) and Catherine Henley (David Raymond) Kennedy; her Brother, Charles William (Betsy) Reiney and her Sister, Nancy Reiney (Sam Crutcher) Bills; her Grandchildren, Caroline Henley (Christopher William) Jurney, James Walton Henley IV, Margaret Jane (Andrew James) Morgan, Steph Henley-Glore, Keenan Elizabeth (John Andrew Hartley Nichols) Kennedy-Nichols, David Spencer (Catherine Ann Kachman) Kennedy and her Great-Grandchild Emory Alexander Wright.
Betty’s funeral service will be held on August 24th, 2024 at 11am at St. George’s Episcopal Church, 4715 Harding Road, Nashville, TN. Visitation with the family will start at 10am in Hampton Hall. Interment will be at the Episcopal Church of the Holy Family, Jasper, Georgia at a later date.
In lieu of flowers; please send memorial gifts to:
Holy Family Episcopal Church, Jasper, Georgia https://holyfamilyepiscopalchurch.net/giving-donating/
Or
Agnes Scott College, Atlanta, Georgia: The Fund for Agnes Scott, www.AgnesScott.edu/giving
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