Minnie Elizabeth “Betty” McCoy Garrett

Calera

Minnie Elizabeth “Betty” McCoy Garrett, was born Dec. 25, 1940. Betty succumbed to colon cancer on Saturday, May 31, 2014.

She is survived by her husband of over 54 years, Charles Garrett of Calera; children, Charlene Garrett, Clifton Garrett (Ritcha) and Terry Garrett; grandchildren, Heather Harlow (Matt), Amanda Garrett, Cody Garrett and Heath Garrett; great-grandchild, Layla Harlow; brother, Richard McCoy (Lorene); nephew, Brandon McCoy (Heather); and other family members and friends.

Following graduation from Thompson High School, Betty’s life was filled with service to her family as she sewed, canned and attended countless practices, ballgames, concerts and recitals. She served the staff and students at Shelby Academy for many years as teacher and office aide, bus driver and lunchroom worker. Children at Linda Nolen Learning Center benefitted from her love and attention as a bus driver. Members of Calera Baptist Church were blessed as she prepared meals and snacks for church functions and VBS. Betty made and helped fill hundreds of stockings over the years for the Shelby Baptist Association Christmas Gift Shop. She took care of her parents, Finis and Velma McCoy before their deaths, as well as assisting several of her older cousins as they reached their later years. She made many people’s lives special when she decorated cakes, sewed dresses for weddings, grew flowers, made and gave jelly and decorated her home and yard at Christmas. Betty was an inspiration to many as she continued many of her activities through almost three years of chemo. Our lives will not be the same without her. Special thanks go to the sitters from Visiting Angels and the staff at Southern Care Hospice.

The family received friends from 6-8 p.m. on June 1 at Currie-Jefferson Funeral Home in Hoover. Funeral service was 11 a.m. on June 2 in the funeral home chapel. Interment was in Jefferson Memorial Gardens, South. In lieu of flowers, consider a contribution in her memory to Shelby Baptist Association Christmas Gift Shop, 205 Walton Street, Columbiana, AL 35051.