Betty Bazemore

Betty was born just a few days after the devastating hurricane of 1940 in Savannah, Georgia. It is told that her father, James (Jimmy) Miller Brown carried her mother, Mary Eleanor Dixon Brown, through the streets to Telfair Hospital because trees had made the roads impassable by car. In the wee hours of August 16, 1940, Frances Elizabeth (Betty) Brown Bazemore was born. She was the couple's only child, who suffered the early loss of her mother the following spring to cancer. Betty was raised by her grandparents: Minnie Fincher Brown Mikell and Step Grandfather, Custus Leodus Mikell. At five, Betty's father, Jimmy who served in the Pacific under General MacArthur, also died of injuries during WWII. She was adopted by her paternal grandparents and also loved by her maternal, Thaddeus Dixon and Minnie Lou (nee' Foss.) They preceded her in death.
On July 5, 1958, Betty married Calvin Manifred Bazemore of Savannah at Antioch Baptist Church by her pastor, Rev. Tankersly. She and Calvin were married over 60 years until Manifred's passing in Cridersville, Ohio, where they had moved to be near their oldest, Cheryl Denise Bazemore (Eric, Sr.) McDunnell and family who survive her. Betty's son, Russell William Bazemore preceded her in April of 2002. Betty has four grandchildren: James Mathew Bazemore, married to Mary Jane, Aaron Stephen Bazemore who are Russell's, and Samantha Catherine (Catie) Elizabeth McDunnell Garber, married to Travis Garber of Darke County, OH (four great grands: Hunter, Alice, Ava, and Oakley.) Youngest grandson, Eric H. McDunnell, Jr., married to Ranissa ((nee' Bitler) of Celina, OH (two great grands: Erica and Lilly.) All survive.
While her death on June 24, 2025 is a great loss to her family and friends, Betty was a strong woman of Christian faith which she imparted and left as a beautiful legacy of hope. One of her favorite Scripture verses was Romans 14:8, "Whether I live or die, I an the Lord's" (her paraphrase.)
Her immediate family will gather to privately celebrate her life and legacy with a planned interment in Savannah, Georgia at a later date.