Betty Jo Ring Hamrick

Betty Jo Ring Hamrick
Mrs. Hamrick, 79, of Charlotte, passed away at Presbyterian Hospital on March 25, 2009. She was born on March 11, 1930 in High Point, the daughter of Esca Thomas and Ada Ward Ring. She attended the public schools of High Point and graduated from High Point High School in 1948. She then attended Wake Forest College and graduated in 1952. She taught high school english at Lexington High School for three years. In 1954, she represented North Carolina at the Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City.
She married S. Dean Hamrick on July 30, 1955. She is survived by three children, Spence and his wife Ellen of Charlotte, Cameron and his wife Monica of Washington, DC, and Sara Hamrick Meek and her husband Peter of Charlotte; four grandchildren, Spencer Hamrick, Abigail Hamrick, Gray Meek and Kate Meek, all of Charlotte; step grandchild, Jake Scott of Washington, DC; brother, Bill Ring and his wife Kitty of High Point; and fourteen nieces and nephews.
Betty Jo was a true extrovert. In high school, she was Sophomore Class President, Editor of both the school newspaper and the Annual, a member of the Honor Society, and she received a Senior Superlative Award.
At Wake Forest, she was the Associate Editor of the Annual, President of the College Little Theater, acted in many Little Theater plays, a member of 'Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities,' and presided at the required weekly college Convocations.
In Charlotte, she taught one year at Sedgefield Junior High School, she was a member of two book clubs, a member of the Mecklenburg County ABC Board, managed Randy Kincaid's Congressional Campaign in 1980, a founding member of Green Thumb Garden Club, a member of the Board of Deacons at Myers Park Baptist Church, and active in numerous civil rights organizations and causes.
In the early 1980's, she was unable to find cotton petticoats and cotton women's undergarments. She and a high school classmate formed a business, Wild Mint, Ltd., which designed, manufactured and distributed those items. The company headquarters was in a garage apartment behind her home in Charlotte.
A memorial service will be held at Myers Park Baptist CHurch on Saturday, March 28 at 2 p.m. and a reception at the church will follow the service.
Memorials may be made to the Myers Park Baptist Church, Board of Missions.
She was enthusiastic in all aspects of her life. She had a great sense of humor that stayed with her until the end. As one niece said, 'They are laughing up there now.'
Harry & Bryant Company is assisting the Hamrick Family.