Betty Dowd Pidgeon

With profound sadness and enduring love, we announce the passing of Betty Pidgeon, an extraordinary mother, wife, sister, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Betty departed this life on June 4, 2025, leaving behind a legacy of love, strength, and unwavering devotion to her family.

Born on August 8, 1938, in North Carolina to Nailer Mills and Sophie Trayal, Betty was the eldest of ten brothers and sisters. Her early years were shaped by the warmth and closeness of a large, loving family, instilling in her a deep sense of responsibility and compassion.

Betty was a woman of remarkable strength, boundless compassion, and unyielding independence. She loved her family with every fiber of her being, protecting and nurturing them with a fierceness that never wavered. Her warmth, wisdom, and steadfast loyalty created a foundation of love that will continue to support and inspire us.

A gifted storyteller, Betty had a unique ability to captivate anyone willing to listen. She lived life on her own terms—strong, proud, and boldly herself. Her joy, laughter, and zest for life enriched every room she entered, and her memory will forever live on in the stories we share and the family she nurtured with all her heart.

Betty is preceded in death by her parents, Sophie and Nailer, and siblings: Mary Katherine “Skeeter” Trayal, Dorothy Bertch, Rose Trayal, Robert Trayal, and Mark Trayal.

She is lovingly survived by her devoted husband, Clinton; sisters Tina George and Theresa Johnson; brothers Joseph Trayal and Wayne Trayal; daughter Monica Rowley and son-in-law Peter O. Rowley; grandson Peter G. Rowley and his wife Gab, along with their two children, Maeve and Freya; and granddaughter Tara Rowley and her wife Kim. Additionally, Betty leaves behind many cousins, nieces and nephews, all of whom she adored.

While we take comfort in the knowledge that Betty lived a life full of love and purpose, she will be deeply missed. Her spirit will forever remain in our hearts, guiding and comforting us as we continue our journey without her physical presence.