Betty Faye Rhyne Stewart of Gastonia, North Carolina, affectionately called “Babe”, transitioned into God’s arms on Saturday, January 9, 2021. Betty Fae was the only girl of two brothers (Abel and Alfred Rhyne) from the union of Abel Gamble Rhyne and Margaret Lewis Rhyne. Born on September 8, 1936, she spent her childhood days attending Highland School (K-12), Sunday School at St. Paul’s Baptist Church, working with Leslie Moore Lewis her grandmother that she loved dearly, and spending time in a loving home with her family.
Betty Fae attended Highland School from kindergarten until she graduated in 1954. Upon graduating, she left North Carolina and attended New York City College. In 1957 after attending one year of college, she started making a living for herself and had her first child, Brian Keith Rhyne while residing in New York City. After the birth of her son, Betty Fae left New York City and returned to home to her family. Shortly thereafter, she decided to move to Washington, DC, sought employment at the United States Postal Service where she remained and retired from in 1992. While working at the post office, she met her husband and soul mate of 52 years, Walter Stewart. From their union, she had a second son, Mark Wesley Stewart, born in 1965.
Betty Fae received accolades of achievement and appreciation for her contributions to the US Postal Service. Her younger adult years consisted of working in the post office where she made many friends that became more like family and becoming a homeowner, wife, and mother. She also returned to school and acquired her Real Estate License in the 1980s.
After retirement in 1992, Betty Fae’s life drastically changed, when she became a grandmother to Jasmyne Stewart Yeboah. Betty Fae took pride in taking care of and helping to raise her granddaughter. Investing in her granddaughter was a top priority, as well as, being a loving wife, and nurturing mother to her two sons.
Betty Fae is preceded in death by her husband, Walter Stewart (2015); her father and mother, Abel Gamble Rhyne (1982) and Margaret Lewis Rhyne (1997); two brothers, Abel Lester Rhyne Sr. (2000) and Alfred Robinson Rhyne (1980); and son, Brian Keith Rhyne (2019).
Left to honor and remember her love is her son Mark Wesley Stewart; granddaughter and caregiver, Jasmyne Stewart Yeboah (Wallace), grandson Tekulve Belton (Starletter), granddaughter Michaela Ford; nieces and nephews – Drennan Rhyne Paylor (Troy), Lashawn Rhyne, Akiesha Berry, Abel Lester Rhyne Jr. (Tanesha), and Leslie Crawford; sister-in-loves Johnnie MicGill Rhyne (Abel) and Joan Crawford Rhyne (Alfred); daughter- in- love Marilyn Wescott (Rex); mother of Jasmyne, Yvonne Gross (Dwayne); six grandchildren, four great-nieces, six great-nephews, two great-great nieces, and a host of cousins, extended family, friends, neighbors and co-workers.
We all will miss her loving heart, family loyalty, fun spirit, laughter, compassion, dancing to her favorite artist Charlie Wilson, asking for a Coke-A-Cola, and pointing out all the things she doesn’t like instead of what she does like!
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