Elizabeth Brittain Lamoureux

Betsy Lamoureux, age 80, passed away on Thursday, September 18, 2025, in Decatur, GA. She had a generous and loving spirit that she shared with the world through acts of kindness and creativity. She also had a tenacious spirit, proving every prognosis wrong when she was initially diagnosed with cancer in 2008 and often leaving her doctors bewildered. Above all, Betsy is deeply loved and greatly missed.
Betsy was born Elizabeth Brittain Gabel on November 18, 1944 in Jacksonville, Florida to the late George DeSaussure Gabel, Sr., and Juantia Brittain Gabel. She was the middle child of five and her mother called her the "sweet one". She attended Jacksonville's Robert E. Lee High School. She took college courses at Florida Junior College (FCCJ) and Florida State University before earning her bachelor's degree in interior design from the American College for Applied Arts in Atlanta. She went on to earn the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) Certification and was inducted as a member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). She founded her own residential and commercial interior design firm, Lamoureux Interiors. She was particularly interested in historic preservation and renovation. Betsy worked on many special projects that benefited the community such as Christmas at Callanwolde, the Atlanta Symphony Decorator Showhouse, and design plans for the rehabilitation of the historic Scottish Rite Hospital.
Betsy married the late Lucien Francois Lamoureux, Jr., in 1969 in Jacksonville, Florida. They enjoyed 39 years of marriage before Lucien passed in 2009, also of cancer. She was a loving and proud mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She is survived by her children, Mary Catherine "Sunny" Turner (Christopher), Dr. Brittain Elizabeth Lamoureux (Jesse Robbins), and Lucien Francois Lamoureux, III, as well as her cherished grandchildren Elizabeth Turner Riley (Troy), Christopher Rion Turner (Grace Ivey), Lucia Brittain Robbins, Remi Gabel Robbins and great-grandchildren, George Parish Riley and Catherine Hunter Riley (expected in November). She is also survived by her sisters, Rev. Judith Ann Gabel Roeling and Dr. C. Rion Gabel, and brother, George DeSaussure Gabel, Jr, Esq, along with numerous wonderful friends. In addition to her parents and late husband, she is pre-deceased by her brother, David Mark Gabel, and her grandson, George Andrew Turner.
Betsy valued beauty in many forms and expressed her creativity in a variety of ways throughout her life. From a young age into young adulthood, she was a gifted ballet dancer. One notable performance involved dancing with a live baby pig for her role of Alice in Alice in Wonderland. She modeled in her twenties and was the face of Sparkle-Lite drinkware. She was a talented seamstress and produced beautiful, smocked clothing for her children, among other fabric arts. She was a life-long visual artist, even taking college art courses in drawing and painting in her retirement. She designed the logo for the Forrest Hills neighborhood, her home of over 40 years. Betsy also valued learning in many other areas. Her interests included early childhood education and health and nutrition. She became a Master Gardener and spent countless hours designing her garden and nurturing her plants. She also enjoyed reading murder mysteries and other monthly selections from her book clubs. Perhaps beyond everything else, Betsy valued helping others. She was known to give generously of her time. She volunteered with various organizations, including as a Girl Scout leader, a PTA officer, a mentor for teenage mothers, and a Family for Literacy volunteer, and contributed financially to many other causes. When she encountered individuals who needed help, she would go out of her way to do whatever she could for them, be it helping to cover a few bills, guiding them through the grueling process of getting government assistance, or even just offering them a place to stay. She instilled in her children, grandchildren, and many who loved her a strong sense of empathy and the drive to help make the world a better place. She was a long-time member of Decatur First Methodist Church and the Ichthus Sunday School class.
We want to thank you all for being a part of her life and bringing her so much joy. On those days when you miss her, remember this: when you seek out beauty in the world or offer kindness to someone who needs it, you will feel her presence with you. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to a cause near and dear to her heart, such as Georgia Public Broadcasting, The Wyld Center in Decatur, Decatur Cooperative Ministry, or the National Breast Cancer Foundation National Mammography Program. A memorial service will be forthcoming in April 2026 in the Atlanta area.