Bettijoe Harbison

Bettijoe Watts Harbison, 90, a native of Morganton, NC died on April 13, 2020 at Grace Heights Health and Rehabilitation after a period of declining health. She was born May 20, 1929 to the late D. Mills Watts and Hester Prewitt Watts. She was a long-time member of First Baptist Church of Morganton where she was a member and officer of the Cauble-Dorcus Sunday School class and for over fifty years, a member of the Chancel Choir and more recently a member of the Senior Singers. She was a graduate of Morganton High School class of 1947 and was retired from Burke Primary Care.

Surviving are her children, Denise Harbison Boone and husband, R.T., Kathie Harbison Waldroup and husband Kevin of Morganton, Janice Harbison Sumter of Hickory and Doris Harbison Mestel of Wilmington, Ohio; grandchildren, Jessica McCurry Speicher and husband Wes of Simpsonville, SC, Brooke Sumter Rhoney and husband Brian of Hickory, NC, Zachary McCurry and Hannah McCurry Fitzgerald and husband Paul of Morganton, Kara Sumter Buckingham and husband Brad of Indian Trail, NC, and Robert, Jonathan and Kenneth Mestel of Wilmington, Ohio; great-grandsons, Noah and Will Rhoney of Hickory, NC, Cade Speicher of Simpsonville, SC and Adler Buckingham of Indian Trail, NC; great-granddaughters, Ava Speicher of Simpsonville, SC, Hailey Buckingham of Indian Trail, NC; step-grandsons, Cole, Jake, Sean and Luke Rhoney of Hickory, NC and a step-granddaughter, Lexis Waldroup of Morganton; sisters-in-law, Susan Harbison Noggle of Morganton and Dean Harbison Kirkpatrick of Raleigh.

In addition to her parents, Bettijoe was preceded in death by her husband of 59 years, William Moran Harbison, Jr., sisters, Beaulah Allen, Edna Piercy, Melva Hyder, Rama Mills; brothers Guy, who died in infancy, Edison (Bud) Watts, Harold Dennis Watts, and Bobby Mills Watts.

There will be a private family burial at Burke Memorial Park officiated by Dr. Thomas A. Bland. Memorial gifts may be made to the First Baptist Church Backpack Ministry, PO Drawer 59, Morganton, NC 28680-0459,  Mimosa Christian Counseling Service, 220 Burkemont Avenue, Morganton, NC 28655 or to Burke Hospice and Palliative Care, Inc., 1721 Enon Road, Valdese, NC 28690.