Betty Marie Evans' Obituary
Betty Marie Harrell Evans, a devoted woman of faith and service, entered into eternal rest on Saturday, June 28, 2025, at 9:52 AM Central Time. She was 78 years old.
Betty was born on July 15, 1946, in Little Rock, Arkansas, to Tommy Harrell and Margaret Miller. The eldest of three daughters, with five brothers, Betty was raised in a close-knit family grounded in faith and church. She graduated from Horace Mann High School in Little Rock in 1965. That same year, Betty married Charles Evans, Jr., and together they moved to Los Angeles, California, where they began building their family. Their first daughter, Charesse, was born in 1967, followed by their second daughter, Kamela in 1968. During their time in Los Angeles, Betty worked at McDonnell Douglas Aircraft and then Robertshaw Manufacturing, helping support her family with dedication and strength.
In 1972, Betty and Charles moved to Jackson, Mississippi, where Betty began working for Packard Electric (later Delphi Automotive), a supplier to General Motors. During Betty's over 30-year career at General Motors, she led Quality Control operations for one of GM's flagship automobiles, the Corvette. Due to Betty's meticulousness and attention to detail when assembling the wiring and harness apparati for the Corvette model, she often led training classes at the Clinton, Mississippi manufacturing facility, at various satellite plants throughout the state, and at facilities across the border in Juarez, Mexico. It was in Jackson that Betty and Charles welcomed their third child and only son, Rashad, in 1976.
Betty was an active and faithful member of Cathedral A.M.E. Zion Church for over 30 years, most recently under the leadership of Pastor Gary Adams. At Cathedral, she served faithfully on the Deaconess Board, chaired the "Do Something About It" Committee, and dedicated herself as both a Sunday School teacher and the Assistant Superintendent of the Sunday School. Her service reflected her deep love for God and her unwavering commitment to building up His Kingdom.
Betty was also deeply engaged in her local community. She served as president of the Elmwood Park Garden Club and Association, an active neighborhood and community organization based in North https://Jackson.Alongside many dedicated community members, Betty worked to ensure that their neighborhood remained informed and united on local, citywide, and state actions that impacted the community's well-being.
Betty's pride and joy were her children and grandchildren. She was a devoted mother who instilled faith, Love, and resilience in her family. She proudly supported her children as each pursued their college education and advanced degrees - Charesse earning her Juris Doctor in law and Masters in Business Administration, Kamela earning her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, and Rashad earning his Masters in Computer Science. Her children often cited her multiple "honorary degrees" as she selflessly supported, fervently prayed over, and encouraged their educational and professional journeys - literally until the day she left to be with the Lord.
When her grandchildren — Justus, Kendall, Jackson, Samiya, and Boskey — were born, she embraced her role as "Grammy" with pure delight. Betty joyfully split her time between Jackson, Mississippi, and Germantown, Maryland, spending months at a time with her grandchildren to shower them with her love, wisdom, and prayers.
During her time visiting in Maryland, Betty was also a regular and beloved attendee of Montgomery Baptist Church in Gaithersburg, Maryland. One of the many laughs her children shared among themselves was Grammy's laser-sharp focus on ensuring everyone maintained a neat appearance, no matter their age.
The holidays were particularly special in Betty's home, filled with warmth, laughter, and her famous home-cooked cornbread dressing, giblet gravy, and sweet potato pies — traditions her family will cherish forever.
Betty's life was a living testimony of faith and perseverance. In 2002, she was diagnosed with multiple myeloma and given a prognosis of 5 to 7 years. Yet, in true Betty fashion, she defied every medical expectation, outliving her diagnosis more than threefold. Her miraculous journey was a testament to her unwavering faith, daily confessions of healing, and steadfast commitment to walking in her God-given purpose.
Betty is preceded in death by her parents, Tommy and Margaret Harrell; her sister Elizabeth Settles (Terry); and her brothers Tommy Jr. (Alice) and Arthur Debbie. She leaves behind her daughters Charesse Evans and Kamela Davis (Ahmed); her son Rashad Evans; her treasured grandchildren Justus Davis, Kendall Davis, Jackson Davis, Boskey Evans, and Samiya Versell; her sisters, Rebecca Bryant (Leo) and Doris Jean Harrell; her brothers, LV Harrell (Queen), Lewis Harrel (Henrietta), and John Harrell; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, church family, and friends who were blessed to know her. Her life was one of grace, faith, Love, and quiet strength. She will be deeply missed and forever remembered as a walking angel among us.
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