Betty Louise (Barnett) Southern

Betty Barnett Southern, beloved mother, grandmother, sister, and friend was born on April 7, 1950, in Florence, Alabama, to the late Rufus Barnett and Ideatt Thornton Barnett Leach. She was the third of seven children and grew up surrounded by the love and laughter of a close-knit family.

On May 1, 2025, Betty peacefully departed this earthly life at her home in West Blocton, Alabama, embraced by the grace of a life well-lived and deeply loved. Betty graduated from Burrell Slater High School and went on to dedicate her life to caring for others. Her career as a Certified Nursing Assistant at Glenwood Nursing Home and a Medical Service Assistant II at Eliza Coffee Memorial Hospital were marked by compassion, strength, and unwavering kindness. She touched countless lives throughout her service and retired from ECM in 2012, leaving behind a legacy of gentle care and dignity.

A woman of deep faith, Betty accepted Christ at an early age and became a devoted member of Greater St. Paul AME Church in Florence. She served faithfully on the Stewardess Board, as a member of the Women’s Missionary Society, director of the Arlene Hamilton Ushers, and active participant in the Lay Organization. Her service to the church reflected her love for God and for her community.

Betty’s greatest joy was her family. She was a nurturing mother to her daughters, Kimberly Southern Armstead and Madilyn (James) Southern Washington, and a proud grandmother to Anna, Meggon, Edward Jr., James II, Ontarius, and Madison. Her love reached even further to her precious great-grandchildren: Orson, Rhema, and Genesis. Her family was the heart of her world, and she cherished every moment spent with them.

She was preceded in death by her brothers Joe Norris Barnett and Rufus Thomas Barnett, her bonus brother Alfred Leach Jr., two dear nieces, Angela Sangster and Andrea Barnett, and her bonus dad, Alfred Leach Sr. Betty is survived by her loving siblings Willa (Guy) Oates, Vivian Stovall, bonus sister Frances Greene, Marcus (Penny) Leach, Maury (Kimberly) Leach, and devoted sisters-in-law Brenda Barnett and Sarah Barnett. She also leaves behind a host of nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, cherished friends, her beloved neighbor, Ms. Evelyn, and a special friend, Charles Sanders.

Betty found joy in life’s simple pleasures. She loved gardening, fishing, cooking, and canning vegetables with care. Trips to Amish Country in Tennessee brought her peace, and she delighted in the gentle beauty of hummingbirds fluttering nearby. Her warmth, wisdom, and unwavering love will remain in the hearts of all who knew her. Betty Barnett Southern was a blessing to this world, and her legacy of faith, service, and family will continue to shine for generations.

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