Betty Mae Bodford Whitman

A beautiful life of 90 years on earth transitioned to the everlasting realm in heaven on Mother’s Day, May 9, 2021 for our beloved mother, grandmother, great grandmother and aunt – Betty Bodford Whitman. A great day of celebrations immediately commenced with her dearly departed family with a transformed glorious body with the ability to talk, walk and embrace loved ones again. A brilliant red cardinal sang loudly to announce Mamaw’s safe arrival to her final home.

Long ago on a joyous February day in 1931 at a dairy farm in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Oscar Franklin Bodford and Mattie Lee Bertha Spainhour Bodford welcomed their eighth and ninth children- twins Betty Mae and Bobby Gray. Betty lived a blessed life filled with love from her parents and seven siblings (one infant brother died in 1917 from the flu pandemic). Betty enjoyed telling stories of her childhood on the farm including tickling a horse’s legs and getting kicked in the chin as well as all sorts of mischief with the youngest siblings.

In the early 1950’s, her double cousin (their parents were bother and sister to Betty’s parents) Curtis Spainhour introduced her to her future husband Henry Abraham Whitman. Initially, Betty did not want to meet this handsome young man from Tobaccoville, NC, but her mother insisted. The rest is history and they married in December 1951, thereafter blessed with two daughters. Betty’s soul mate tragically departed this earth suddenly in October 1978, which left her a widow at age 47. Betty and her two daughters became closely intertwined with bonded unconditional love.

In 2017, Betty became the only surviving descendant of her parents. Her predeceased siblings were Ruth Augusta (Sam) Caudle, Henry Franklin (Elsie) Bodford, Mary Aileen (Elmer) Simpson, infant Harvie Bodford, Lindsay (Tip) Odell (Garnett) Bodsford, Mildred Victoria (Sam) Miles, Andrew Grady (Marceleen) Bodsford, and Twin brother Bobby Gray (surviving wife Fannie) Bodford. In 2017, Betty lost her youngest daughter Robin Whitman Brittain to triple negative breast cancer that led to knowledge of a genetic mutation in the family. Betty also had breast cancer and a survivor of 20 years.

Surviving family members include daughter Dr. Debbie Whitman Herman, son-in-law Kenneth Herman, son-in-law Rickie Brittain, granddaughters Dr. Emily Huggins (Bobby), Olivia Cobb (Shaun), Mariah Brittain, and numerous nephews and nieces. The fourth generation includes four precious great grandchildren Wyatt Cobb, Madelyn Huggins, Gavin Cobb and Mason Huggins. They have spent their early years with Mamaw as a central and very much loved member of the family through countless gatherings and celebrations including Mamaw’s 89th birthday party in 2020, which was attended by friends and family.

Betty graduated from South Fork School and was voted the neatest and quietest in her graduating class with those qualities continuing through her life. She worked for a furniture store, dental office and Hanes Knitting Mill prior to getting married. Upon starting a family she became a full time mother, homemaker and secretary for her husband’s H. A. Whitman Construction Company. Once becoming a widow, she resumed public employment at Sonoco and ending with Perry Craft upon retirement. Betty enjoyed working outside in her yard, keeping an immaculate house, pie baking especially her butterscotch pie, cooking, listening to country music, shopping and spending time with her growing family. She was a devout Christian who read her Bible daily and was a member of Pine Grove Methodist Church and later Jonestown Baptist Church in Winston-Salem. Throughout her 90 years, Betty demonstrated extraordinary loving compassion and provided care giving to several elderly ladies, her sister Ruth and brother Bobby at their end of life. Her gentle spirit, independence, strength, fortitude and legacy of love will reside in our hearts through the generations.

In her late 70s, Betty was diagnosed with Primary Progressive Aphasia, a heartbreaking debilitating frontal-temporal lobe dementia with the steady physical decline and eventual loss of communication skills. Despite life’s challenges, Betty remained strong, humble and thankful for many blessings. The past six years, she has been lovingly cared for by her daughter and son-in-law. She regularly attended Bethesda Presbyterian Church with her family in Camden, SC and spent quality time with granddaughters, grandsons-in-law and great grandchildren. Betty and family traveled frequently to North Carolina, spent vacations in the mountains, beaches, Disney World (with hugs from Mickey Mouse and handicapped rides) and RV trips to Florida, Virginia, Carolinas, Texas and all states in between.

The family would like to thank Mrs. Alice Kershaw who provided attendant care from 2015-2018 and Betty’s physician Dr. Craig Maylath for whom Betty gave her biggest smiles. In celebration of Betty’s beautiful life, a private family graveside service in the midst of a pandemic will be held at Bethel United Methodist Church in Winston-Salem, NC where her beloved daughter, parents, grandmother, brother, sister, and cousin are laid to rest. Her late husband will be moved to join her from Jonestown Baptist Church Cemetery. At the family’s request, all funeral attendees are asked to avoid hugs or handshakes and remain socially distanced with a mask to protect loved ones including our precious children. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the National Aphasia Association at PO Box 87, Scarsdale, NY 10583 or website www.Aphasia.Org.

Kornegay Funeral Home, Camden Chapel, is in charge of arrangements.

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