Joan Elizabeth Cole Keaton

HIGH POINT - Joan Elizabeth "Betty" Cole Keaton, 81, passed away April 6, 2013, at her home in High Point, North Carolina. Betty was born to Mildred Evelyn Hudson and William Clayton Cole, in Kinston, North Carolina, March 23, 1932. As a young woman of 13, and the oldest of four young children, Betty was suddenly thrust into the role of surrogate mom when her father was killed in a boating accident, and her young mother went to work to support the family. She probably had no idea at the time, but the words "Mom" and "Family" would from that moment, define her role, and purpose in life, and thus the die, so to speak, had been cast. What began was a lifelong success story in the Homemaking Arts. Even with her duties at home, Betty was a standout student at Grainger High School in Kinston, where there was hardly an activity she didn't participate and excel in from sports, singing, theater, student government, civics clubs and cheerleading. Her Class of 1950 Cheerleading Squad has remained such good friends that they have tried to meet up each year for reunions, the last of which was just recently for Betty's birthday party a couple weeks ago. During her early high school years a lifelong passion for reading and learning took hold and lead, eventually, to her evolution as a true Renaissance woman, curious and eager to learn and try new things constantly. As a result, she was conversant on virtually any subject, and proficient in so many areas, she often simply smiled a knowingly sly smile when her astounded son Gary would demand "How did you know that!?" after she had calmly and correctly answered Jeopardy questions one after another. Once in the early 50's, Betty was appearing in a production of a Christmas Pageant, when an audience member, leaned over and quietly remarked to his sister "You see that angel? I am going to marry her!" within a couple of years, Martin and Betty were indeed married and building a house next door to her grandmother and two doors away from her mother. Family, once again was in the forefront of her life and when her first son came in 1953, she and Martin buckled down to creating a home in that house. There was a playhouse in the back and yes, the white picket fence in front, two more sons make three, and a puppy named Boots! Betty was smiling and laughing and singing and dancing all day, and a home cooked from scratch meal was on the table at 6:00, and all was right with the world! With Martin hard at work beginning a career that, with her partnership at home, would eventually take him to the pinnacle of his industry, she focused on building the knowledge and skill that would equal his success, and complement his achievements by becoming accomplished in everything she undertook. Cooking, baking, interior decorating, gardening, healing the many cuts and scrapes three boys might get (thanks to her stint at Bowman Gray Nursing School), sewing, needlework, vegetable gardening and oil painting kept her busy at home and singing in choirs, dancing, hand bells, substitute teaching, carpooling, and on and on around the community. She was a whiz at it all, except for one thing. Martin and the boys rebelled and demanded she give up giving them home haircuts after only one try, and the new electric clippers were never to be seen again. Thank goodness. In 1959 the family moved to Florida, and two years later to High Point, as Martin advanced in the lumber business, and the Keaton's found a community to call their permanent home for the next 50 years. 1971 saw them take a big leap and move to their property in west High Point where they became country folk, and Betty learned how to plant her three acre garden by the Farmer's Almanac, feed horses, chase Angus calves that escaped the pasture, handle a handgun for safety while Martin was out of town on business, keep an eye out for snakes, and learned that by riding the lawn mower for hours she could not only spruce up the place, but meditate and get a tan at the same time! Multi-tasking at it's finest! When she complained she hardly had time to get into the Country Club to work on her tennis game, Martin built her a tennis court at the farm and told her she now had her own "country club," and the Ladies Country Tennis Luncheon Club was formed and met at least once a week in the season! Always the hostess, she regularly fed half of the boys' friends, teaching many to drive a stick shift in the old jeep at the farm, and laughing so hard she cried when some were less than quick to learn. She would laugh again in the mornings when she counted how many friends ended up staying over on the floor of the boys' cabin…and only years later would some of those friends admit to the boys that their mom had secretly been voted "Best Looking Mom!" She never stopped worrying about her family, and the joke was that if at any moment she realized she wasn't worrying, she would start to worry that there was something she had forgotten to worry about! Of course, she knew that if you were late it was surely because you "were in a ditch somewhere!" After Martin retired, many summers were spent at the family home at Caswell Beach where many friends and relatives shared countless glorious days resting, relaxing, catching up, fishing, boating, and everything you could imagine that southern hospitality could dream up. Always on the go, and with the boys older, the still young couple began to travel from time to time and eventually had been to many corners of the world and enjoyed the life that hard work and teamwork brought to them, but were always happy to drive up the long driveway to the country home on the hill. Driving up that hill, you knew you were where, no matter what was happening outside the gate, you were safe, secure, comfortable, well fed, nurtured, and loved. There were always delicious leftovers in the refrigerator and if that nine holes had turned into eighteen, there would be a heaping plate waiting for you, warming in the oven. And that was the essence of her life's work, her love, her passion and her success. For the boys, "Yes Sir" and "No Ma'am," "Please and Thank You," and "May I be excused?" were expected (and delivered), but it was an honor, not an obligation so much…because Betty Keaton was, in addition to all else, a beautiful, intelligent, strong, charming, accomplished, loving and truly genteel Southern Lady…and all that that implies. Betty was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Clarence Martin Keaton and her youngest son, Greg Thomas Keaton. She is survived by her sons Gary Martin Keaton of Charleston, S.C., and Glen Parks Keaton and wife Susan Fleming Keaton, of High Point; granddaughter Sarah Elizabeth Keaton of Charlotte, N.C.; grandsons Taylor Cole Keaton of Chattanooga, Tenn., and Andrew Carl Keaton of Durham, N.C.; sisters Ina Cole Johnstone of Sanford, N.C., Carolyn Cole Dunn of Kinston, N.C.; brother, Thomas George Cole of Goldsboro, N.C.; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. A memorial celebration will be held Saturday, April 13, 2013, at 2 p.m., at Emerywood Baptist Church, with a reception to follow at the church. Celebrants are requested to wear bright, colorful, festive attire. In lieu of flowers, those who choose may send donations to: The ALS Center, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Department of Neurology, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157. The Hospice of the Piedmont, 1801 Westchester Drive, High Point, NC 27262 or Emerywood Baptist Church, 1300 Country Club Drive, High Point, NC. Please send on line condolences to sechrestfunerals.com. Arrangements are by Sechrest Funeral Service, High Point, N.C. Sign the guest book at Kinston.com. (Paid obituary)