Betty Lanora Dawson Kerley
Betty Lanora Dawson Kerley, 92, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, passed away July 18, 2024.
was a devout Christian, member of Mile Straight Baptist Church and the Ladies Class, loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Betty graduated from Kirkman High School. She then worked for Cutter Laboratories and Memorial Hospital. Betty was an expert seamstress and embroidering; which she gave away as gifts to everyone she knew. She loved to sing and also visited nursing homes to entertain the residents. Betty was also the family historian and would share the lineage of the entire family. Lastly, her joy was for getting together with the family for family reunions. Betty will be missed by all who knew and loved her.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Robert Young Dawson and Lanora Henry Dawson, husbands, Jesse Newton Kerley Jr. and Virgil A. Varnes, son Robert Bernard Kerley and Jesse Newton Kerley III and brother, George Alder Dawson and Robert Henry Dawson, sister, Ann Maddox
Betty is survived by her children, Katrina (Gary) Dantzler, sister, Geraldine Patterson and Hilda (Jack) Williams, daughter-in-law, Anne Kerley, grandchildren, Matthew Kerley, Amy Kerley, Jesse Kerley IV (Kat), Paul Spilko (Shannon), Robert Spilko, Chrissy (Sabitino) Cupelli, Stacey (Scott) Bales, Dawn Stover, great-grandchildren, Harrison, Miranda and Connor Spilko, Mellissa Paradis and Faith Stover, Cheyenne (Matt) Green and Summer Essex, Austin and Thomas Bales and host of nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held at Hamilton Funeral Home Tuesday, July 23, from 4-7 p.m.
Visitation will continue on Wednesday, July 24, from 10 a.m. until funeral service time at 11 a.m. Committal service will follow at Lakewood Memory Gardens East.
Funeral arrangements entrusted to Hamilton Funeral Home and Cremation Service 4506 Hixson Pike, Hixson, Tn. 37343, 423 531-3975.