Betty Lucile Stewart, 76, formerly of Rugby and Hartsville

Betty Lucile Stewart, formerly of Rugby and Hartsville, passed away at Keepsake Village in Columbus on Sept. 24, 2019 after a long battle with Dementia.

Betty was born on April 2, 1943 in Columbus, Ind.,  the only one of eleven siblings to be born in a hospital. She was the daughter of John and Nell Hedrick of Hartsville. She married Robert Stewart May 19, 1962. Betty was a long time Sunday school teacher, and member of the Hartsville United Methodist Church where she served in many roles, including song leader, teacher and caregiver at the New Harts After School Program, and a strong supporter of the church program to help provide coats and Christmas gifts for those in need. Although she did not have children of her own, she loved children and cared for her nieces and nephews and neighborhood children throughout her life. She was a farm wife for most of her adult life, which was a demanding and important job. She was a lover of animals, photography, crafts, nature, and the sounds of a Harley Davidson and Blake Shelton.

Betty is survived by her sisters, Mary McGuire of Hartsville, Wilma Linville of North Vernon, and Diana Dailey of Hope, sisters-in-law Margaret Hedrick of Hope, Dixie Hedrick of Bloomington, Ann Hedrick of Nashville, TN, June Roberts of Ormond Beach, FL, Kathy Dobbs of Columbus, and Barbara Hedrick of Columbus, , many nieces and nephews, and many special friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and her brothers Kenneth, Dave, Dale, Paul, Don, Charles, and Marvin.

Friends and family are invited to attend the visitation at Norman Funeral Home in Hope on Friday, Sept. 27th from 1 to 3 P.M. Graveside services will immediately follow at the Hartsville College Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Student Fund of Hope or the Greensburg & Decatur County Animal Shelter to support the children and animals that Betty loved so very much.