Elizabeth "Betty" Willis Maxwell

Because of her father’s military career, the family lived in several locations, nationally & abroad. She loved to tell stories of her time spent in Japan.

After graduating Dreher High School in Columbia, SC, Betty attended and graduated from Duke University in 1963. She moved to Charlotte and taught history at Garringer High School. During her teaching tenure, she met and married, Raymond Maxwell, Jr. in Charlotte, NC, where they raised their three children.

Betty’s entrepreneurial spirit led she and her best friend, Nancy, to start an arts & crafts business, Bet-Nan. They were well known in the area for their Christmas craft shows. Betty was also an avid Duke fan; it wasn’t unusual to hear her screaming for her team during games, particularly during the Duke/UNC basketball games!

She was very involved in her community, serving since the mid-90’s with the Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary, particularly leading the Christmas Bureau in which she was heavily involved for many, many years. If you ever worked the Bureau with Betty, you’ll know she was known to ‘crack the whip!’ She was also very involved in the annual Festival of Tables.

Betty and her college roommate, Sally, traveled extensively throughout the world. Some of their favorite places were Vietnam, Thailand, Peru and Greece. She also enjoyed traveling with her mother and her sister, Mary to Alaska on several occasions.

She was cherished by many friends and family and will be sorely missed. She is survived by sister, Mary Willis Hellams of Columbia, SC, Betty’s children, Raymond Maxwell, III (Debe), William Ellison Maxwell, (Rebecca) and Elizabeth Maxwell Cooper (David), all of Charlotte, grandchildren Matthew (Natasha), Ryan (Meagan), Forest, Zack and Sam, great-grandchildren Liam and Lucy, niece Mary Elizabeth (Beth) Forest and many other nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at St. Stephens United Methodist Church located at 6800 Sardis Road, Charlotte, NC on Thursday, September 5, 2024 at 11AM.

Graveside service will be held at Greenlawn Memorial Park located at 7100 Garners Ferry Road, Columbia, SC on Friday, September 6, 2024 at 1PM.

A special thanks to her dear friends Diana Rainey and Julia Thomas, who were always there for her, the staff at Briar Creek Health Center and Liberty Hospice nurses, Rose & Darlene.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial can be sent to SAWA (The Salvation Women’s Auxiliary), c/o Diane Thomas, 6800 Burlwood Road, Charlotte, NC 28211.