She will lovingly be remembered by her husband of 70 years Hedrick Mitchell Phillips, her son Scott Reavis Phillips and wife Ashley Brown Phillips and her daughter Tracey Elizabeth Phillips Parker and husband Alton Person Parker Jr. and three grandsons Alton Person Parker III, Christian Reavis Phillips and Andrew Scott Phillips. She was predeceased by her parents Minnie Jack Reavis and Leonidas Oliver Reavis.
Born Jan 3, 1930 Betty Jean often remarked how happy her childhood was with her earliest years growing up in Manson, NC surrounded by both her maternal and paternal grandparents who ran family farms and the general store. She learned the values of her elder’s hard work and living off their land. Her Grandmother Drucilla Wilson taught her how to sew, can food, quilt and the importance of self-sufficiency and her Grandmother Eugenia Reavis was remarkably a college graduate in the1920’s and school teacher who stressed the importance of intellect and education. Betty’s mother was a wonderful vocalist and piano player and taught her how to have fun and enjoy her life and her father was a wonderful man who loved to fish, run his business and led by example. Betty’s family eventually settled in Jacksonville, NC where her father started his own successful Mobile oil business. Betty enjoyed school sports and played on the tennis team and was captain of her basketball team. She was her senior class valedictorian. She attended the College of William and Mary and was a member of Chi Omega Sorority. She played on the college basketball team and made the honor roll every semester. One weekend during a visit home her sophomore year she needed a ride back to school and her childhood schoolmate and friend Hedrick Phillips offered her a ride on his way back to Washington DC. Their friendship blossomed and they were married in 1950. Together they built a family in Raleigh and took a risk and started their own business, Propane Trucks Incorporated. Hard work and determination with Betty managing the books and Hedrick building the trucks turned into a successful corporation which they sold in 1992 and still thrives today as a testament to their vision.
In addition to working at Propane Trucks, Betty was determined to keep her word to her Grandmother Reavis and finish her college education. She enrolled at NCSU and attended college overlapping both of her children’s college years and graduated the same weekend as her son in 1983 summa cum laude.
After retiring in 1992 Betty and Hedrick traveled extensively in the US and abroad and Betty loved to share the photo of herself on a camel in Tangier, Morocco. She traveled throughout the US competing in bridge tournaments and quickly became a Life Master in bridge and was a most sought after bridge partner. They had a garden where they lovingly shared the food and flowers they grew with family and friends on their screened porch. Betty Jean was old school, hated gossip, was a true individual, top notch and everyone knew they could count on her. She was the first to show up with a casserole to those in need and insisted her children help her deliver it and understand the importance of caring for others. Sharing her roots, she often took her children to local farms to pick food so they could appreciate the work ethic of farming. She was an exceptional mother and grandmother who made sure there was always a hot welcoming meal every night for her family and never missed the opportunity to cheer them on at their extracurricular events. Homework, chores and responsibilities were stressed and when work was done she loved hosting marvelous parties from her children’s birthdays to culinary endeavors for her supper club which stayed together for over 40 years.
Betty and Hedrick moved to Sarasota, Florida in 2000 where they had many wonderful happy years before returning to NC in 2014 to Galloway Ridge in Pittsboro to be closer to their family. We want to thank the staff at The Arbor at Galloway Ridge for their outstanding assistance and affection they gave Betty.
A private family graveside service will be held at Onslow Memorial Park on Monday, November 30th.
In lieu of flowers please make a donation to The Boys and Girls Home of Lake Waccamaw which was dear to Betty’s heart or to Blue Creek Baptist Church in Jacksonville.
Arrangements by Brown-Wynne, 300 Saint Mary's Street, Raleigh.
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