Betty Jane Hammonds Holmes

Betty Jane Hammonds Holmes Betty Jane Hammonds Holmes passed away Mon day, Sept. 13, 2010, at NHC HealthCare in Johnson City, Tenn. She was born February 22, 1929, the only child of James Fletcher Hammonds and Ethel White Hammonds. She grew up in the Plasterco community of Washington County, Va., and graduated salutatorian of the 1946 Class of Glade Spring High School. She attended Radford College. Betty was employed by Appalachian Power Company in Abingdon during the early 1950s. After staying at home with her young daughters, she returned to work at Glade Spring Elementary School where she was employed in the early 1970s. She retired from Emory & Henry College in May 1988 after 14 years of service in the Kelly Library. Betty was a member of the State Street United Methodist Church in Bristol. For over 40 years, she had served as church pianist at Plasterco United Methodist Church and pianist/organist at Byars-Cobb Memorial United Methodist Church in Glade Spring. She loved music, was an avid reader, and enjoyed nature. She will be remembered for her smile and her kindness, and she will be dearly missed by her family and friends. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her "son at heart", Marvin Thomas "Buddy" Holmes. She is survived by her childhood sweetheart and husband of 60 years, Cleveland "Dudger" Holmes; her daughters, Cindy Holmes-Drury and husband John of Blountville, Tenn., and Jill Henderson and husband Sanders of Saltville, Va.; her niece, Sheri Holmes Bowman of Glade Spring; and several cousins. A funeral service for Betty will be conducted Thursday, Sept. 16, 2010, at 2 p.m. at the Mount Rose Cemetery Mausoleum with Brother Sam Haynes officiating. The family will receive friends Wednesday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Main Street Chapel of Farris Funeral Service. Those wishing to express sympathy online may do so by visiting www.farrisfuneralservice.com and signing the online guestbook. Arrangements for Betty Holmes are under the care of Farris Funeral Service, 427 East Main St., Abingdon, VA, (276-623-2700).