Obituary of Bettie Browning O'Neal

Bettie Sue Browning O’Neal, age 93, of Jackson, Georgia went peacefully to her heavenly home on January 23, 2024.  She was preceded in death by her parents, John William and Alma Preston Browning, her husband of 38 years, Alvin Lewis O’Neal, her son, Timothy Norris O’Neal, her sisters, Maggie Ruth Browning Peed, Annie Lois Browning Grabey, Mary Alma Browning Lester, and brothers John William Browning, Jr. and James Oscar Browning.  She is survived by her daughter Nancy Blankenship, Jackson, Georgia and son Stephen and Cindy O’Neal, Peachtree City, Georgia, 7 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren, nieces, nephews and cousins.

Bettie was born in her family home in Jackson, Georgia on August 9, 1930, being the youngest of 6 children. At an early age, she learned the importance of faith, family and hard work.  She accepted Christ as Savior, at age 8, at Pleasant Grove Congregational Methodist Church.  She helped out on the Browning Dairy Farm, by washing milk bottles.  After graduating from Jackson High School, Jackson, Georgia in 1947, she attended Asbury College in Wilmore, Kentucky for one year and then transferred to University of Georgia, in Athens, Georgia, where she acquired a Bachelor of Science in Home Economics in 1951.  In 1971, she earned a Masters of Education from West Georgia College, Carrollton, Georgia.

After marrying her high school sweetheart on June 10, 1952, she and Alvin lived several locations, since Alvin was in the Air Force.  They settled in Forest Park, Georgia in January 1956, raising a family filled of love, faith and laughter for over 34 years.  In April 1990, she returned to her homeplace in Jackson, Georgia.

She taught elementary school for over 30 years and retired in 1988 from Atlanta City Public Schools.  She always had a love for teaching and taught a ladies Sunday School Class at Ash Street Baptist Church, Forest Park, Georgia and First Baptist Church, Jackson, Georgia for many years.

Bettie enjoyed traveling and visited 27 countries. She had a love for missions and did mission work in East Asia and Africa. After her husband’s death in 1990, she had 1-1/2 happy years in Russia, teaching Christian Morals and Ethics. She was also actively involved in the Gideons Auxiliary, since her husband was a Gideon. 

In 2005, she moved to an Assisted Living home and enjoyed meeting new friends in the four assisted living homes that she lived in, until her death. She always found work to do in the assisted living homes, from leading devotions in the morning, leading exercise, serving as hospitality “queen” and singing.  She, also, enjoyed reading, crossword puzzles and sending notes and cards to friends and family.  She was never called to retire but kept teaching the Bible and telling others about Jesus.  She was a devoted and loving wife, mother, sister, aunt, friend and above all she was a devoted Christian who dedicated her life to serving Jesus Christ.  She will be missed by all.

A Celebration of Life service for Bettie Browning O’Neal will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, January 27, 2024, at First Baptist Church of Jackson.  Interment will follow at Jackson City Cemetery.  Friends may visit the family on Friday evening from 4:00 P.M until 7:00 P.M. at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Gideons International, www.gideons.org, P.O. Box 97251, Washington, DC 20090-7251 or to First Baptist Church of Jackson, Georgia.

Those who wish may sign the online guest registry at www.sherrell-westburyfuneralhome.com.

Sherrell-Westbury Funeral Home, 212 E. College Street, Jackson, GA, is serving the O’Neal family.