Betty Jean Holbrook

Betty Jean Kelley Holbrook, 77, died August 9th at “It Feels Like Home” care home in Memphis following a 10 year decline from Alzheimer’s. She preferred her middle name of Jean. She leaves her husband of 58 years Gerald Holbrook of Germantown. Her four children, Phillip A. Holbrook of Eagan, MN and his wife Mary Jo, Ann Holbrook Jenkins of Germantown, Diana Holbrook Crouch of Athens, AL, and Elizabeth Holbrook Lyles of San Juan, Puerto Rico. She also leaves 12 grandchildren and one great-grandson and her sister Peggy Kelley Lowery. Jean was a devoted stay at home mom and a loving grandmother.

She was born in Memphis, educated at Bolton High School and Memphis State College, now The University of Memphis, where she met her husband Gerald. During her life she and Gerald traveled throughout North America, Hawaii, Europe and Asia. Lifetime residences included Memphis, South Carolina, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Alabama and Germantown.

Throughout most of her life in Shelby County she was a member of First Baptist Church of Memphis, and after the children were grown, she was employed in several positions at the church including Secretary to the Pastor. She later worked as a Special Education teacher’s assistant in the Shelby County school system where she taught handicapped children. At the time of her death she was a member of Germantown Baptist Church.

The family will receive friends at Memphis Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens 5599 Poplar Avenue from 12-2 on Saturday, August 13th. Funeral Services will begin at 2pm. Since Gerald is an army veteran of the Korean War period, he has chosen internment at the West Tennessee Veteran’s Cemetery in Germantown. Internment will take place on Monday August 15th at 1:30 in the afternoon. Memorials may be sent to any Alzheimer’s charity of the donor’s choice.