Virginia Rider Bettge

Virginia was born on February 16, 1942 in Winnsboro, Louisiana, the eldest child and only daughter of Annie Ruth and Otto Rider. Two younger brothers followed, Thomas and Donnie. Raised with strong small-town values, Virginia carried with her a deep appreciation for family, hard work, and simple joys throughout her life.

In 1960, she graduated from Ogden High School in Winnsboro, Louisiana. She later moved to Texas with her family where she attended business college. While working in the small town of Victoria, Texas, she met Raymond Bettge. They were married in 1962 and moved to Germany, where Ray was stationed with the US Army.

Virginia and Ray’s first child, Cindy, was born while they were living in Germany. After returning to Texas, they welcomed two more daughters, Amy and Dana. Virginia and Ray spent the first seventeen years of their marriage in Texas, later moving to Charlotte, NC where they resided for forty-three years. In 2022, they relocated to Bradenton, Florida.

Her fabulous sense of style and a natural talent for decorating and merchandising led Virginia to a career in retail. She loved her job as the manager of a ladies’ dress shop, where she worked for more than twenty years. During that time, she also showed remarkable strength, beating cancer twice.

After retirement, she spent as much time with her daughters and grandchildren as possible. Being “Gigi” was one of her greatest joys, and she took every opportunity to spoil her grandkids—as much as she could get away with.

Virginia had a gift for making a house feel like home. She cherished the traditions of family life—especially around the table—where her love of country cooking and gathering loved ones together created lasting memories. Holidays were always something special to her; she believed in making the most of every occasion, filling them with warmth, good food, and time spent with the people she loved most.

Never one to turn down an opportunity to travel, she took many memorable trips with her daughters. She loved beaches, spending many vacations on the North Carolina coast or the Florida Gulf coast, where you’d often find her sitting on a porch with a cup of coffee or under an umbrella with a good book. She loved to read, go to good restaurants, keep up with family on Facebook, listen to country music and fuss at the hosts of The Five. Her favorite spot was wherever there was a rocking chair or a porch swing, especially if it overlooked water. And if there was a good iced coffee involved, that was even better.

An animal lover, Virginia was an avid supporter of animal rescue and helped foster many kittens, two of whom she adopted. Her babies, Simba and Sammy, were devoted companions and slept snuggled with her every night.

Virginia is survived by her daughters, Cindy Robbins (married to Greg), Amy Greene (married to John), and Dana Bettge; her grandchildren, David Greene (married to Rubie Gaudette), Carrie Greene, Drew Robbins (married to Bailey, parents of great grandbaby Oaklyn) and Lauren Greene. Her beloved cats will also miss her dearly. She is preceded in death by her loving husband of more than sixty years, Ray, her parents, and her brother Thomas.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the animal rescue of your choice. Or adopt a pet. Or both. That would truly make her happy.