Betty Jane (Pace) Reaves

Betty Jane was born 1939 to Grover Cleveland and Mabel Allen Pace in Ashland (Clay County) Alabama; she was among the fourth generation of both Paces and Allens who had settled in Clay County coming from Georgia and whose descendants were born there and where some remained. She graduated Clay County High School in 1957 followed by graduation in 1961 from Jacksonville State College (now Jacksonville State University). She prepared herself there for a long-lasting career as an educator. She met friends at Jacksonville, including Joan Williamson and Shelby Hawkins, whose friendships became lifelong. Shelby introduced BJ to Jerry Reaves and their marriage in 1963 lasted 59 years. Jerry died in February 2022. BJ and Jerry first lived in Tucker, GA, a suburb of Atlanta, where BJ had begun teaching in a middle school. Later, they moved to Montgomery where she continued teaching in a junior high school in Montgomery Public Schools. Their son Sam was born in Montgomery in 1972. In 1981, they made their final family move to Gadsden, where Jerry worked for the City of Gadsden and BJ was employed by the Board of Education.

As a teacher in the Atlanta area and Montgomery, BJ related well to the students and took personal interests in them. If they needed help beyond the school day, she invited them to her home for personal attention/instruction and gave some a chance to earn money by paying them to work in flower beds around their house or do other needed chores. At the Board in Gadsden, BJ established the Board’s Adult Education Program, which she led until her retirement. In that role, BJ worked tirelessly to extend her passion for education to the adult community. She oversaw programs that helped adults obtain GED's, receive vocational training, and/or enrich their lives through exploring hobbies and interests.

BJ has attended church regularly her entire lifetime. She was told that her great grandfather, John Jackson Allen, had walked a great distance to return to Ashland from the Civil War and upon return, he was unrecognizable by his family. Years later Mr. Allen traveled about the community to raise money for and was instrumental in the foundation of First Methodist Church, Ashland. BJ’s Mother, Mabel, was christened in that church as a baby and her funeral was held in the sanctuary of the current building in 2004 when she had reached the age of 100. BJ grew up with positive moral influence and teachings by her family, extended relatives, and much church involvement. She grew into a committed Christian who loved the Lord and worked to extend His love. She surrounded herself with devotional books and had verses of scripture printed on things from stationery to decorations. In Gadsden, she and Jerry were active members of 12th Street Baptist Church for almost 40 years. She especially loved her Stewart Sunday School Class at 12th Street Baptist.

BJ was passionate about her hobbies. She loved antiques, which she regularly bought and sold over her lifetime. She had booths in antique malls for decades. Even during holidays, she would be on her cell phone haggling over her next purchase or sale. She also loved lamps, picked up lamp parts at estate sales and shops, and learned to rewire and improve them. She could build a new lamp from scratch by purchasing some parts and using collected ones. She had business cards at one point that listed her vocation as “Lamplighter” and her home has always had lamps in progress and bins filled with lamp parts. Almost nothing excited BJ as much as finding her next good deal on a piece of antique furniture, repairing and cleaning something to sell in in her “antique” booth, or building her next lamp. She also had a strong love of flowers and gardening. She was a member and Events Director of the Mountain Laurel Garden Club for many years. She was program chair for several years and arranged outings focused on flowers and nature. In over 40 years of living in her home on Monte Vista Drive, she always had a new flower bed or other landscaping project going on; her home won multiple awards from the Gadsden Beautification Board.

BJ’s love for her family was awe-inspiring. She was the best daughter, sister, wife, mother, and grandmother anyone could ask for. She was always thrilled to hear good family news and would always lend a listening ear or give advice. She instilled the importance of education in her son Sam from an early age, drilling him with flash cards, helping him with science fair projects, and critiquing everything he wrote until he could “fly on his own.” Even bigger than her smiles about antiques were her smiles about her grandson, Luke. She did everything with Luke she could, from reading with him, to teaching him crafts, to helping him plant sunflowers.

BJ had a generous and caring spirit. She would do anything for her family and friends but wanted nothing in return. Friends have remarked that one cannot “outgive” BJ—they said even when a small thing was given or done for her, she returned in abundance. She would not accept praise from anyone and she was not a complainer—even in illnesses. She was a beautiful lady but hated to have her picture taken. She was humble. She wanted to give, but not receive, recognition. Perhaps her business card that read “Lamplighter” was right. She truly lit up the world around her.

BJ is preceded in death by her father, Grover Cleveland Pace, Sr., her mother, Mabel Allen Pace, and her brother, Grover Cleveland Pace, Jr. She is survived by her son, Sam, daughter-in-law, Jennifer, and grandson, Luke (Charlotte, NC), as well as by her sister, Caroline Nelson (Montgomery).

Pallbearers include Adam Smith, Scott Parris, Mark James, and Daniel Watson.

Visitation for BJ will be held at Collier-Butler Funeral Home – Saturday, November 22, 9:00 a.m.; followed by a Celebration of Life Service at 10 a.m. in the Chapel; 824 Rainbow Drive, Gadsden,

AL 35901. A brief graveside committal will follow at Ashland City Cemetery, Memorial Drive, Ashland, AL 36251, at 2:30 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions in BJ’s memory be made to 12th Street Baptist Church, 800 W. Grand Avenue, Rainbow City, AL 35906.

The family sincerely thanks Dr. Castillo, Dr. Navari, and all other physicians and staff at Gadsden Cancer Clinic and Gadsden Regional Medical Center who helped to care for BJ.