Betsy Ann Yeatts Searcy

Born October 11, 1954, in Lynchburg, she was the daughter of the late Curtis M. Yeatts and Frances M. Yeatts, of Altavista. She was a magna cum laude graduate of Central Virginia Community College and a summa cum laude graduate of Lynchburg College. She had a long career as a paralegal and, prior to her illness, was most recently employed as a hearing officer for the Virginia Employment Commission. She was a former member of Altavista Presbyterian Church. She enjoyed great books, fine food, good conversation and had a keen interest in genealogy and history.

Betsy was a former adjunct faculty member of Danville Community College and Central Virginia Community College. She served as a member of the Advisory Committee for the Legal Assistant Program at Central Virginia Community College and was a former member and president of both the Southside Virginia Paralegal Association and Central Virginia Paralegal Association. She also served as a delegate for the Virginia Alliance of Legal Assistant Associations and was a member of the National Association of Legal Assistants and the National Federation of Paralegal Associations. She was a member of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.

She is survived by her husband, Stuart Lee Searcy, of Forest; her children, Jessyma Watlington, of Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania, Shari Fowley (Dan), of Scottsville, Paul A. Watlington II (Jennifer), of Lynchburg, S. Justin Searcy (Sheena, of Goode, and Brianna Hull, of Forest; a sister, Mary Y. Edmonds (Eugene), of Gretna; her beloved mother-in-law, Kathryn Searcy, of Altavista; her husband’s siblings, Beverly Doss, of Altavista, Steven F. Searcy, of Pequawket, Maine, Susan S. Vaughan, of Hurt, and Everett Searcy, of Altavista; and her grandchildren, Amber Crawford, of Meehoopany, Pennsylvania, Daniel Fowley, Meridyth Fowley and Keelin Fowley, of Scottsville, Trey Watlington, of Lynchburg, and Skye Searcy, of Goode. She is also survived by a lifelong friend, Lynn Brooks, of Altavista, and dear friend, Sally Henderson, of Appomattox.

The family would like to thank Dr. John MacNeill and the staff of the Pearson Cancer Center, as well as the nursing staff of the East Tower of LGML Hospital, for their excellent care of Betsy.

A service will be conducted at Whitten Timberlake Chapel on Tuesday, April 26, 2011, at 11 a.m. by the Rev. Dennis Nichols. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, April 25, 2011, at Whitten Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to Frannie’s House, P.O. Box 181, Altavista, VA 24517.

To send condolences to the family, please visit www.whittenfuneralhome.com.

Whitten Funeral Homes and Cremation Services, Timberlake Chapel is serving the family.