Born May 9, 1947, in Charlotte, she was the daughter of the late Glen Austin Coan, Sr. and Elizabeth (“Libby”) Leigh Coan.
Following graduation from Myers Park High School, Betsy attended Greenbrier Junior College (Lewisburg, WV, closed in 1972) and Coker College (Hartsville, SC) where she formed many lasting friendships. Her career spanned from medical assistant, to homemaker, Preschool Director at Hickory Grove Methodist Church in Charlotte, a Receptionist for a Charlotte law firm, District Sales Manager for an Atlanta based chemical company, an Office Manager for an insurance company in Atlanta and Charlotte, and before retiring in 2006, was a retirement counselor for a couple of Charlotte retirement communities.
Betsy was passionate about life. She never met a stranger and could light up any room with her smile. She loved to garden, cook, and shop. She loved all animals big and small, especially her dog, Daisy, cat, Tuxedo, and horse, Pocahontas. Betsy loved nature and being outdoors. It was only fitting that she and her husband, Paul, build their retirement home – a log cabin – in the NC mountains, where she poured her heart and soul into the nonprofit animal rescue organization, Horse Helpers of the High Country, as a volunteer and on the Board of Directors, and enjoyed being a member of the Daniel Boone Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Betsy is survived by her husband of 19 years, Paul Nicholls; children, Beth McCaffity White (Jesse) of Blounts Creek, Ashleigh Dillon of Charlotte, Josh Dillon (Sara) of Troutman, Sarah Nicholls Warren (Thomas) of Washington, DC, and Sean Nicholls of Albemarle; five beloved grandchildren, Landon Nicholls, Austin and Avery Dillon, and Henry and Sam Warren; as well as her brother, Austin Coan (Tay) of Winston-Salem.
A service to celebrate Betsy’s life will be held at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, March 24, at Christ Episcopal Church, 1412 Providence Rd., Charlotte. The family will receive friends following the service. Private interment will be in the Christ Church Memorial Garden.
For those wishing to send memorial gifts, please consider the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance (ocrahope.org) or Greenbrier Humane Society (greenbrierhumane.org).
