Elizabeth Futch Alford

Betty graduated from Leesburg High School and attended Stetson University in Deland, Florida. She was married to John R. Alford in April of 1991. Betty worked at Charisma Magazine/Strang Communications from 1980-1990. She was a member of Calvary Assembly of God in Orlando, Florida, and had a passion for music, piano and singing.

She was preceded in death by her husband, John R. Alford, parents Truman G. Futch II and Sally Hooper Futch, and brother Truman G. Futch III. She is survived by her children Becky Giddens, Beverlee (Scott) Steed, and Don (Libby) Thompson. Grandchildren, Richard Russell, Kimberly (Brian) Waller, Sean (Ashley) Steed and Leanne (Joshua) Morreale. Great-grandchildren, Ashton Waller, Gavin Waller, Sophia Steed, Kenzie Russell and James Steed.

Funeral arrangements will be held at 1:00, Saturday September 14, 2024, at Baldwin Fairchild Funeral Home-West Altamonte, 90 Weathersfield Ave, Altamonte Springs, FL 32714.

Elizabeth "Betty Dale" Alford was born in Tallahassee, Florida on October 27, 1934. Her parents moved to Leesburg, Florida shortly after she was born to be near her father's parents, Judge T.G. Futch and his wife Lilly Futch of Leesburg. Betty grew up in a small Florida town where her grandfather soon became a State Senator and eventually Florida Senate President. She became very interested in music after her beloved Aunt Elizabeth & Uncle Bob McEmber, both musicians, encouraged her to start taking voice and piano lessons as they recognized that she had a gift for music and singing at a very young age. Her younger brother, T.G. Futch III was also a gifted musician. As she grew up, she sang many soprano solos in her school performances and won several State voice competitions in her Junior and Senior years at Leesburg High School. She also sang in many weddings and other events in and around Leesburg. She attended Stetson University in Deland, Florida and was the first freshman to be chosen to sing a solo in the annual performance of Handel's Messiah, and also began singing opera arias. She met her first husband, Keith Thompson, at Leesburg High School and they were eventually married and had three children, Becky, Beverlee, and Don. Betty began teaching piano lessons when she was raising her young family and was also a Brownie and Girl Scout Leader for the girls and taught Sunday School for many years at Concord Streed Church of Christ in Orlando. The family moved to Virginia and Colorado in the 1970's. After an unavoidable separation and moving back to Florida, Betty began attending Calvary Assembly of God in Orlando, where she joined the church choir. The choir gave her a chance to build lifelong friendships and provide Christian fellowship where she grew an even stronger faith and closer relationship with her Lord Jesus. After several years of being a dedicated member of the choir, she decided to devote herself to the ministry of being a Prayer Counselor which she so loved. During that period of time, she was introduced through mutual friends at church to a recently widowed Southern gentleman named John Alford. The two of them were a perfect match as they both shared a deep faith and love of ministry and were married soon after. Betty and John served in ministry together for nearly 30 years, hosting a fellowship group in their home and touching many lives.

She lived her life serving others with her kind and gentle spirit and was a blessing to all who knew her. She was the most loving Mom and Grandma to her family and will be greatly missed, but we hold on to the hope of reuniting with her again one day. She was truly an angel on earth.