Betty Lea (Ruddle) Heavner

Betty was a nurse, mother, homemaker, cook and gardener. She loved her garden and had a curiosity about the earth; she talked about plant species, growing vegetables, and expressed an interest in horticulture and birds. She had empathy for all people and found a community in church life in her often volunteering and helping others, and guided by her deep faith.

Betty was born August 11, 1934 to Verna C. Smith and Isaac Saylor Ruddle in Sugar Grove, West Virginia. Betty was the second youngest in a family of nine children. The family moved to Deer Run. Betty attended Franklin High School where she took her studies seriously and met a Future Farmer of America youth named George Roger Heavner. Betty graduated in the Franklin High School class of 1952 along with George.

Betty studied to be a nurse at Rockingham Memorial Hospital graduating in 1956, and placed first in her graduating class of 22 students. Nurses were required to have mental health training in Washington DC or Delaware. She went on to work for mental health studies at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Delaware. Betty married George on Aug. 9. 1957 in Franklin, West Virginia.

Betty worked as a nurse while George’s job took the family from West Virginia, Kansas and Virginia. Betty worked as a nurse in Delaware, West Virginia, Providence Medical Center in Kansas City, Claude Huyck Elementary School, Kansas City, Kansas, and for many years at Fairfax Nursing Center in Burke, Virginia where she retired in 1998. A co-worker and close friend said, “You have your patients for weeks and months and Betty got to know all of her patients and what they wanted for breakfast. And we loved the work. Betty had a good time working with her friends; she was bright and cheerful and a good person deep inside. She couldn’t do enough for her patients.”

Betty and George moved to Harrisonburg, Virginia and became members of Asbury Methodist Church. Betty and George were very active in their church, helping other families. Betty was a member of the National Association for Family and Community Education (FCE) and studied the bible so she could be a better leader in study sessions. It was important to her to stay connected to her West Virginia family. The kids remember visiting West Virginia every summer and traveling from Kansas to visit family. After George passed, she lived with her daughter Becky and then as dementia progressed Betty moved to Louisville and became a resident at Juniper Village at Louisville.

Betty and George became parents to David (married to Laura McGregor, Farmington, NY), Becky (married to Bryan Leister, Wheat Ridge, CO) and Tom (Boulder, CO). Grand children and spouses are Matt (married to Allison of Seattle, WA) and Lindsey Thurber (married to Brennan, Greenwood, NY). Lindsey and Brennen honored Betty with a great grandchild named in George’s honor, Barret George.

Betty’s husband George passed on October 1, 2020.

Betty is survived by their children and many cousins and extended family. Betty is loved by many nieces, nephews and friends. Betty found friends at Asbury Church and kind neighbors in Harrisonburg, Virginia. She is the last of her immediate family and preceded in death by her siblings: Max, Rich, Ruth, Sue, Connie, Kitty, and Joe.

Betty will be buried along side of George in Cherry Hill Cemetery, in Upper Tract, West Virginia.

A memorial service will be arranged this summer through Asbury Methodist Church in Harrisonburg.

Should there be a wish to make donations, please consider the following: Asbury United Methodist Church, 205 S. Main Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22801 “Stained Glass Fund” or Ruth Dolly and Betty Heavner Endowment for the Nursing Scholarship at RMH Foundation, 2010 Health Campus Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22801.