Betty McQuay Tysinger

She was born to Crawford and Mae Wilson. Our Mom's huge generous heart finally failed in her final days and on October 29, 2022, our precious mother was gently delivered to the angels who awaited her.

Betty began her life in the Depression years in Ft. Mill, SC. After graduation from Ft. Mill High School, Betty was crowned Miss Ft Mill. She worked her first job at Eckerd’s Drugstore on the square in uptown Charlotte. She married a young Marine, Bob McQuay in 1949. Their early years were one of financial struggle, but Bob insisted weekly tithing take precedence over their hard-to-come-by $42 rent! Betty and Bob sadly lost their first daughter at birth, but three children followed, Terry, Leslie and Kimberly. As Bob’s business flourished, Betty devoted her time to homemaking and supporting her children through their varied interests. She truly was each of her kids’ biggest fan! Betty was widowed after 44 years of marriage in 1993. She remarried a special grade school friend, Reverend Joe Tysinger, who passed away in 2008.

At Eckerd’s, Betty forged a friendship with a kitchen worker who, given the laws of the day, was prohibited from working up front. Skin color meant nothing to them and Betty and Lucille shared a 70 year relationship that Charlotte Magazine featured in 2016. Betty made life-long friends easily in her own community and as she traveled the world. She taught Sunday school and loved to volunteer, teaching art classes to the residents at Sharon Towers for years. During the 1980s, she served as president of The Lupus Foundation. Betty got her neighbors involved in weekly card games at Brightmore of South Charlotte, where she recently resided. Perhaps the most generous gift of her time was, at the age of 75, helping to raise three of her young grandchildren after the untimely death of her son-in-law, Barry McGee. She made crafts, went on outings, and never tired of playing. Betty was a gifted seamstress and lovingly handcrafted hundreds of dresses and shorts for orphaned children in Haiti. She made almost a thousand garments, each unique and whimsical with her own special touch. Her gifts were recently acknowledged by Dr. Franklin Graham and his charity, Samaritan’s Purse.

Our Mom was a voracious reader, a fiercely competitive Shanghai rummy player and regularly won the Bingo jackpot whenever she played! Betty was a role model in her faith, her deep devotion to family, and her selfless service to others. She was friendly, feisty, and generous to a fault. We are encouraged, especially now, by her example of lifelong grace, gratitude, and grit.

Betty is survived by her three adoring children, and their spouses, Terry McQuay (Linda) Leslie Klein (Dr. Frederick Klein), and Kimberly McQuay McGee, as well as four grandchildren, Davin McQuay (Emily), Daxx, Gaige and Larkkin McGee, 2 great grandchildren, Holden and Dabney McQuay, her sister, Mrs. Loyce Sutton and nephew, Eddie Sutton. She is also survived by Roger, Sue, Eric and Patrick Tysinger and Terry, Joan, Ty and Barrett Tysinger .

The family wishes to thank the wonderful staff of Atrium Hospital - Pineville, especially Dr. Ana Maria Hubert, Alex Nazaruk, RN, Hanna Seyoum, RN, LaMiya Love, RN, and Rojina Magar, RN for their compassionate care.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be offered in Betty’s memory to:

St. John United Methodist Church, 130 Tom Hall Street, Ft. Mill, SC 29715,

Or -

Samaritan's Purse PO Box 3000 Boone, NC 28607 or Samaritanspurse.org.

A visitation for Betty will be held Thursday, November 3, 2022 from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM at McEwen Funeral Service-Pineville Chapel, 10500 Park Road, Charlotte, NC 28210.

A funeral service will occur Friday, November 4, 2022 at 1:00 PM at St. John's United Methodist Church, 130 Tom Hall St., Fort Mill, SC 29715. Streaming for Betty Tysinger's Celebration of Life Service may be found online at: [email protected]

A graveside service will follow on Friday, November 4, 2022 at 3:00 PM at Sharon Memorial Park, 5716 Monroe Road, Charlotte, NC 28212.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.McEwenPinevilleChapel.com for the McQuay Tysinger family.