Betty Alice Bowers Brown

Betty Alice Bowers Brown, 84, of Golf Course Road, died Thursday, May 5, 2011. Mrs. Brown was born on Lenoir Road in Morganton on April 17, 1927 and was a daughter of the late, Judson and Evelyn Getty Bowers. After graduating from Morganton High School in 1944, Betty Alice enrolled at Pfeiffer Junior College earning a degree in business administration. While a student at Pfeiffer she sang in the chorus, served as vice president of the Order of the Sundial and also vice-president of the student council. Upon graduation, she returned to Morganton and worked at Morganton Hosiery Mill. In 1948 because of her volunteer work with the youth at First United Methodist Church, she became church secretary and director of Christian education at Elkin Methodist Church. God must have sent her there because that is where she met Jack Frye Brown whom she married in 1950.Betty Alice worked for 27 years at Bowers Insurance Company and also worked at Hardwoods of Morganton, and Tux Bowers Motor Company. Upon her retirement she enjoyed cooking, gardening, and was an avid sports fan. She loved helping others through her volunteer work. She was active in senior citizens groups including the Friendly Tuesday Club and also at CoMMA. As a musician, Betty Alice enjoyed singing and playing the piano and was a member of the Mimosa Trio which performed for residents at local nursing homes.As a lifelong member of First United Methodist Church, Betty Alice was a member of the choir, the Aldersgate Sunday School Class, and also taught the second grade Sunday school class for many years.Surviving are sons, Kenneth Brown and his wife, Barbara, of Valdese and Michael Brown and wife, Lynn of Morganton; daughter, Mary Ellen Witherspoon and her husband, Odell of Morganton; sister, Margie Greene and husband, Jim of Lenoir; a sister-in-law, Patsy Bowers of Morganton; grandchildren, Chris Witherspoon and wife, Tanya, Leslie Carpenter and husband, Jeremy, Jamie Sisk and husband, Clay, Anna Brown, Dylan Brown, and Chase Brown; great-grandchildren, Carson and Allie Witherspoon, Tucker and Courtney Sisk, Tanner and Abigail Carpenter; and extended family, Patti Roehrig and husband, Jason, of Morganton.In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Jack Frye Brown, and brothers, Frank Bowers and Clifton Avery Bowers.Funeral services will be held at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, May 7, 2011, at First United Methodist Church with Rev. Dr. Sydnor Thompson, III and Rev. Todd McCullough officiating. Burial will follow in Forest Hill Cemetery. The family will receive friends in the fellowship hall from 2:00 until 3:30 p.m. Saturday. At other times the family will be at the Bower’s family homeplace. Memorial contributions may be made to First United Methodist Church Music Dept., 200 N. King St., Morganton, NC 28655 or to Burke Hospice & Palliative Care, Inc., 1721 Enon Rd., Valdese, NC 28690. Sossoman Funeral Home & Crematory Center is assisting the family.