Bettye Marie Smith

Bettye Marie Smith (nee Decker), of Gaithersburg, peacefully went home to be with our Lord on June 15th, 2023. She was 96. She was born in Philadelphia in 1927 to the late James Duane and Anna Marie Biemer Decker and is sister of the late Virginia Decker and James Duane Decker Jr.

Bettye resided in Fox Chase with her parents, as a single mom, working at Nanette Clothing until meeting her beloved late husband Robert L. Smith. They wed in 1974 and moved to Delran, NJ where she enjoyed being near her family, working in her yard and being a grandmother. Bettye made the move to Asbury Methodist Village 16 years ago when her son relocated to Maryland. In these later years, Bettye attended Shady Grove Presbyterian Church, cheered on her great-grandson at their baseball games and enjoyed being taken on walks in the flower gardens.

Bettye is survived by her dear son, Robert W. Brown, III and his wife, Barbara Bolton Brown, her granddaughter, Julie Brown Stewart and her husband James Stewart, her great-grandsons, Daulton and Cole Stewart, her sister-n-law, Jackie Blounts Decker, her nephews James Decker (Lisa), Jeff Decker (Anita) and niece Kristen Eisemann (Bill).

In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to Shady Grove Presbyterian Church of Derwood, MD. A private service will be held later this summer followed by her interment at lakeview Memorial Park in Cinnaminson, NJ.