Betty Lee Thatcher

BETTY LEE (HOTTEL) RICHARDS THATCHER, 90

In memoriam to our beloved Mother who died peacefully, February 15, 2018, a beautiful, devoted and wonderful wife and Mother. She was pre-deceased by her husband, Glenn D. Richards and second husband, Franklin Thatcher. She is survived by sister, Connie Watson, brother, Jimmy Hottel, and pre-deceased by sister Gerre Arnold. She is mourned by her four devoted daughters and their spouses, Rebecca Richards (Kathy), Suzanne Short (Philip), Debra  McCreery (Frank), and Gaylen Smoak (Bob). She is also survived by 11 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren and a host of cousins, nieces and nephews.
A life-long Methodist, she was dedicated to God’s purpose for her life being a loving wife and Mother. At heart a Shenandoah Valley farm girl, she lived an amazing life mostly in Arlington (graduate, W&L HS) and Fairfax County, where she drove a school bus for 25 years. She loved her home – cooking, sewing, crafting, gardening – fellowship of friends and neighbors, square dancing, traveling, serving in her church. She enjoyed writing poetry which expressed her sense of life’s grandeur in ordinary moments and loved sharing it with her friends in NOVA’s LLI.
She will be greatly and sadly missed by all who knew her. Visitation will be on Thursday, February 22, 4pm-7 pm at Everly-Wheatly Funeral Home, 1500 W Braddock Rd., Alexandria VA 22302. A service in celebration of her life will be held on Friday, February 23, 10am at The Hermitage, 5000 Fairbanks Ave, Alexandria VA 22311 followed by burial at Ivy Hill. Memorial gifts may be made to the National Park Service (www.nationalparks.org) or United Methodist Committee on Overseas Relief/UMCOR (www.umcor.org).

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