Bettie Sherrod Hester

Bettie Hester passed from this life to her eternal home on Sunday, June 8, 2025. Born in Jacksonville, Florida on June 25, 1928, she was the only child of Lillie Mae and Ruel Hugh Sherrod. Her early life was spent in the Springfield area of Jacksonville and she later attended John Gorrie Junior High School and graduated from Robert E. Lee (Riverside) High School in 1947. Surrounded by cousins, aunts and uncles, she was deeply devoted to family. Her fondest memories were of summers spent on her grandparent's farm near Swainsboro, Georgia.

In 1944, Bettie met her husband-to-be, Grant Hester, at Jacksonville Beach and they were married in 1947 when he returned from serving in the Army Air Corps during World War II. She was a billing supervisor for 10 years with Southern Bell, which she was proud of and where her organizational skills were honed. Bettie and Grant moved from Jacksonville to Tallahassee in 1968, where they lived together until his death in1984.

Bettie moved to Thomasville in 1986, then back to Jacksonville, returning to Thomasville in 2003. Her love of God's Word and her close relationship with her Lord and Savior was evident to all who knew her, as she expressed her faith to all she met. A diehard fan of the Florida Gators, Bettie was fiercely independent and strong-willed. She many times said she wished she owned a farm or ranch, because of her love of the country life and her business acumen.

She is survived by her son Tim Hester (Lisa), step granddaughter Ashley Boyd (Bobby), step grandson Rob Mercer (Kristin), step great-granddaughter Courtney Roberts (Marcus), and step-great great grandson Cooper Hugh Roberts. She was proceeded in death by her parents, husband Grant, and cousin Katherine Lanier.

A memorial service will be held at the chapel of Allen and Allen Funeral Home in Thomasville, Georgia on Thursday, June 12 at 11 AM, with visitation beginning at 10 AM.

A graveside service will be held at Riverside Memorial Park in Jacksonville, Florida on Saturday, June 14 at 11 AM.

In lieu of flowers, Bettie asked that donations be made to Kenneth Copeland Ministries.