Betty Messick

MESSICK (Dotson), Betty Lucille

Betty Dotson Messick, beloved wife, mother, and grandmother, passed away June 13, 2024, at Presbyterian Village Athens, after battling complications of a stroke and mourning the recent loss of Wiley Messick, her devoted husband of sixty-eight years. Born Betty Lucille Dotson in Zimbabwe to missionary parents, Clyde John Dotson and Hattie Lolete Thigpen Dotson, she spent her childhood in Africa. Betty was the third of seven children and loved her five sisters and one brother and their children throughout her life. From ages six to twelve, Betty attended Wellington, a boarding school, where she memorized many lines of literature which she was able to quote for much of her life. The students there would knit socks for the British army during World War II, and Betty became an accomplished knitter who taught this skill to her children and grandchildren. As a volunteer with the Johns Creek Presbyterian Church Knitwits, Betty made blankets for cancer patients, sweaters for newborns, and hats for the homeless.

Coming to the United States for high school, Betty graduated from Hampden Dubose Academy in Zellwood, Florida. Betty then earned a bachelor's degree in education from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, where she stayed with her uncle and aunt, George and Mary Thigpen. Betty continued living with the Thigpens after graduation and taught second grade in Jefferson County, Alabama, until her marriage to Wiley in 1955.

The young couple moved to Washington, D.C., where Betty was a homemaker and Wiley spent many years working at the United States Congress. Their three children were born in the Washington area, and enjoyed the hospitality Betty showed family and friends and many family outings to national museums and parks.

Moving to Atlanta in 1967, Wiley worked as the Regional Administrator for the Small Business Administration and Betty raised their children. In Atlanta, Betty played ALTA tennis and neighborhood bridge. Active in her community, she served as a Girl Scout leader, a volunteer probation officer for Dekalb County, and a church nursery volunteer at Briarcliff Baptist. Betty was a gracious hostess who shared her home with friends and relatives and prepared memorable holiday feasts for years.

Employed by Dekalb County Schools, Betty taught at Wadsworth, Clifton, and Bob Mathis Elementary Schools and the Dekalb County Writing Center. While teaching school and raising a family, Betty earned a master's degree in education from Georgia State University in 1977. Retiring after nineteen years as a teacher, Betty spent the rest of her life helping others, caring for her grandchildren, assisting Wiley, and serving as a Stephen Minister at Johns Creek Presbyterian after moving to Forsyth County.

A caring woman who put others' needs in front of her own, Betty worked energetically to help her children, grandchildren, and friends with whatever they needed. After moving to Kingsbridge Retirement Community, she continued visiting neighbors, baking holiday treats for family and friends, and enjoying a weekly bridge group. Wiley and Betty were members of Shallowford Presbyterian Church and donated to many causes. Betty especially liked helping children's charities including Compassion International, and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. During her last twenty years, Betty was courageous and resilient, working through challenges from multiple falls and strokes. She set an example for her family on how to live in constant love, continued courage, and generous kindness.

Betty was predeceased by her husband, Wiley Sanders Messick; her parents, Clyde and Hattie Dotson; her step-mother, Anneli V. Dotson; her brother, John Dotson; and her sisters, Lolete Dotson Little and Margaret Dotson Church.

Betty is survived by her children, Mary Messick Tallant (Rick) of Winterville, Georgia, Sandra Messick McClanahan (Gary) of Tucker, Georgia, and Wiley Carter Messick (Carol) of Dallas, Texas; her grandchildren, Edwin Reagin (Katie), and Mary Katherine Karpf (Joe) of Lilburn, Georgia; Sarah Reagin Clemmensen (Derek), Griffin Tallant, and Austin McClanahan of Denver, Colorado; Sarah Carter Thomas (Jeremy) of Dacula, Georgia, Dr. Julia Tallant (Jay) of Athens, Georgia; Emily Messick of Dallas, Texas, and Sgt. Michael Messick (Kali) of Bakersfield, California; and five great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her devoted and talented sisters, Ruth McIntosh Beeler of Cleveland, Tennessee; Grace Dotson Weber of Forest City, North Carolina; and Joy Dotson Potter of Woodstock, Georgia; as well as her cousin, Mollie Thigpen McGraw; and numerous and much-loved nieces and nephews.

Betty's memorial service will be at 2:30 PM, on Saturday, July 20, at KingsBridge Retirement Community in Atlanta, Georgia, followed by a reception.