Betty Jane Russell

Betty Jane Russell Moore Haney, age 87, was born on May 25, 1938, in Rome (Silver Creek), Georgia, and passed away on September 19, 2025, in St. Augustine, Florida.

She was the daughter of Charles Hoke (C.H.) Russell and Pauline Grace (Quarles) Russell. Betty Jane was married to the late Bobby R. Moore and later to the late J. C. Haney. She was the loving mother of LaRae (Jon) Long, Grace Stoner, and Stephen Clark (Rick, preceded in death 2007), and Tracy Defore (Durandy, preceded in death 2018). She was blessed with grandchildren, Seth (Sarah) Defore and Shae (Alex) Defore Miller, and with great-grandchildren Merrick Miller and Finn Defore-and many nieces and nephews.

She is survived by her sisters Louise (William) Payne and Lillian (Vernon) Gordon, and her brother Bradford (Brenda) Russell. She was preceded in death by her parents, Charles Hoke (C.H.) and Pauline Grace (Quarles) Russell, and her brothers Huey, Sam, and Lendol Russell.

Betty Jane graduated from Valley Point High School in Dalton, Georgia, in 1966. She enjoyed sewing, gardening, making woven crosses, reading the Bible, singing old hymns, and long rides in the countryside. Her favorite hymn was Amazing Grace. Her faith and belief in God were strong; she knew He had her heavenly home prepared. She was ready to go when He called.

She grew up in the mountains of Northwest Georgia. Resaca and Dalton were where she called home. She was the oldest daughter of a farming family with six siblings. It was her responsibility to care for the home and younger siblings while the remaining family worked on the farm.

Her Greatest Accomplishment
One of Betty Jane's proudest achievements was returning to complete her education at Valley Point High School in Dalton. She had left school early to marry and begin raising a family, but her dream of earning a diploma never left her heart. When her two young daughters, Grace and LaRae, entered grade school, Betty Jane made the remarkable decision to return to the classroom alongside them.

Each morning, mother and daughters rode the school bus together, carried their lunches, and shared homework assignments. Through it all, she still managed the responsibilities of home and family. In 1966, Betty Jane proudly received her high school diploma-a moment made even more meaningful by the example she set for her children. Soon after, her youngest daughter, Tracy, was welcomed into the family.

Betty Jane's determination, resilience, and unwavering love made her a role model for her daughters and for many others who knew her.

Her Living Legacy
Betty Jane's greatest legacy to her family was her love and appreciation of nature-the joy found in gardening and growing flowers, the peace of country living, and the compassion shown in caring for animals. Her nurturing spirit lives on in all who learned from her to love deeply, give generously, and find beauty in simple things.

A gathering will be held at a later date at the Russell Family burial site at Swamp Creek Baptist Church in Carbondale, Georgia.

The family would like to offer thanks and appreciation for all who cared for Betty Jane through this walk in life: the staff of Coral Landing and the Memory Unit, Community Hospice, Tara, Sarah, Chomia, the Bailey Family Center for Caring, Dee Summers, and James Hanson. They gave her comfort and dignity in her last days while awaiting God's hand to reach out for hers.