Betty was saved and baptized at a young age at New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church near her childhood home in Caney Valley, and she later moved her membership to New Tazewell United Methodist church where she loyally raised her children in faith.
Upon her graduation from Claiborne County High School, she enrolled in Fort Sanders School of Nursing at the young age of 16, graduated in 1965, and then married Lee Dan (Danny) Stone, III, in September of that same year. As a Registered Nurse, she first worked at Claiborne County Hospital and soon began her 31-year career in public health at the Claiborne County Health Department where she made a positive and lasting impact on so many families. Upon her retirement in 1997, she enrolled in Physician’s Assistant School at the University of North Dakota where she earned her P.A.-C. She returned home in 1998 to continue to serve her community full-time at Heartland Medical in Harrogate and New Tazewell until March of 2004 when she chose to semi-retire, and later fully retire, to help with the around-the-clock care of her granddaughter, Loren Grace.
Betty was an amazing mother and an absolute do-it-all. She was fiercely independent and deeply motived to grow, learn, and serve. In 1970, she learned to fly and successfully completed her solo flight! She was an outstanding seamstress and cook who kept an immaculate house and beautiful yard, and she loved a good bargain and delicious desserts! For her children, mornings began with grilled honeybuns and waffles, and “Good night,” was accompanied by bedtime stories, bedtime snacks, and “I love you bigger than the sky!” She hosted the best sleepovers and baked and decorated perfect birthday cakes for her children’s parties. She hustled them to sports practices and games waiting patiently for the final whistle, bandaged all the parts, kissed all the boo-boos, and made ice packs galore. She endured hours of likely painful-to-the-ears “piano practice”—most often the day before the next lesson, and she attended their innumerable recitals, programs, performances, and events with a smile on her face, joy in her heart, and sometimes with a good book or a piece of cross-stitch in her hand!
Betty’s commitment to family did not end with her children, as the arrival of her five grandchildren evoked an even deeper level of devotion and love. They were truly the lights of her life, and she was so incredibly proud of each one of them and all of their unique and special gifts.
Betty is preceded in death by her parents, G.C. (Cleve) and Vera Manning, brothers, Clifford Manning, Gerald Manning, Bailey Manning, and Bruce Manning and sister Dot Manning Lewis. She was also welcomed into heaven with open arms by her granddaughter, Loren Grace McAfee.
Left to celebrate her memory and carry her light are her children, Leigh Anne Stone McAfee and husband, John, and Wesley Daniel Stone and wife, Suzanne, along with her grandchildren, Thomas McAfee, Emma Stone, Abby Stone, and Cooper Stone, her brother, Woodrow (Woody) Manning, and a host of nieces, nephews, friends, and colleagues.
Betty’s family will receive friends at Coffey Funeral Home Chapel in New Tazewell on Sunday, March 10 from 4:00-7:00 p.m., and they will host a celebration of life where they will eulogize her remarkable legacy in the Chapel beginning at 7:30. She will be laid to rest in the Irish Cemetery on Monday, March 11 with the procession leaving the funeral home at 11:00 a.m.
Serving as Ms. Betty’s pallbearers are her nieces and nephews: Jan Manning McLain, Scott Manning, Kenny Manning, James Lewis, Steven Lewis, Jeff Lewis, Gary Lewis, Rickey Manning, Rocky Manning, and Rena Manning Gilbert.
A special thank you to Dr. Charles DeBusk, Amedisys Hospice Care, McFarland Medical, Tony and Kathy Walker, Peggy Skellinger, Mike Hounshell, Eddie VanHuss, Lifeline Ambulance Service, Dr. Brent Pursifull, and UT Primary Care- Heartland for the tremendous care and friendship they have each provided.
Memorial gifts may be made to the New Tazewell Methodist Church, PO Box 36, New Tazewell, TN 37824.
