Betty Gerow

Betty Kichline Gerow of 1880 Brookwood Avenue, Burlington, NC, passed away at Alamance Regional Hospital on July 2nd at age 91. Born September 16, 1917 in Raleigh, NC to Herbert and Anna Kichline, she graduated Hugh Morson High School, Raleigh, in 1933. She received her AB from Meredith College in 1937, her Masters in English, Grammar, Latin and Literature from UNC-Chapel Hill in 1944 and in the 1970s did advanced studies in the National Linguistics Institute at UNC-Greensboro. She taught English and Latin at Hugh Morson High School, Raleigh (1937-39) and Williams High School (1952-1961). She joined the English faculty at Elon College in 1961 teaching Advanced Writing, Linguistics, and English Literature until her retirement in 1984. She held past memberships in the Spade & Trowel Garden Club, Coterie Book Club, After Five Dance Club, and First Reformed UCC where she had been a Sunday School teacher and choir member in the 1950s. She currently was a member of First Christian United Church of Christ, Women’s Resource Center, Alamance County Arts Council, Alamance County Democratic Women, Village at Brookwood Ladies’ Luncheon Club, Elon University Friends of the Library Board Emeritus, and The Elon Society. She is cited in the book A Generation Speaks: Voices of the Great Depression with her story “Skimping and Saving.” She and her husband, the former Mayor Jimmy Gerow, traveled fifty-four countries together, one of which was India in 1982, where the trip was highlighted with a personal visit with Mother Teresa. She and Jim presented numerous slide shows of their travels to various community organizations and classrooms throughout those years of traveling. Betty had a love and interest in cooking, reading, politics, working crossword puzzles, flower gardening, music and dancing. She was well-known in a former neighborhood for her exquisite 100 ft. border of flowers year ‘round. She once was an accomplished pianist and organist and will also be remembered for having been an excellent classroom teacher. She was a wonderful cook, using recipes passed down to her by her Pennsylvania-Dutch family, German ancestry and times spent in Pennsylvania where she maintained that culture. Her more current activities and interests continued to be reading and gardening, the support of her church, but MOST importantly was her intense love for her family. She spoke often of how proud she was of all the accomplishments of her children, and the grands and the greats. Very recently, when asked during an interview what her greatest accomplishment in life was, she said it was her children. Survivors include a son, David H. Gerow, Salem, VA; a daughter, Anna Gerow, Elon, NC; daughter-in-law, Ceci Gerow, Apopka, FL; four grandchildren: Laura Hall (Bob), Lakeland, FL, Dolores Ratay (Bill), Apopka, FL, Mariah Lynch (Brock), Columbia, SC, David N. Gerow (Karen), Athens, GA; seven great grandchildren, Josiah and Phillip Hall, Selina and Brandon Ratay, Carter and Luci Lynch and Daisy Gerow; one great-great granddaughter; and one “to be” great-great grandson coming in August. Her other special family members are Libba Wolfe (Barry), Regina Ingram, Roberta Tate and “Indy Kitty.” She was preceded in death by her parents, a sister, Mildred Kichline, a son, James A. Gerow, Jr, and her husband James A Gerow. A Celebration of Life service will be held Tuesday, July 7th, 11:00 a.m. at First Christian UCC, Burlington, officiated by Rev. Phil Myers of First Reformed UCC. The family will receive friends in the Bray Fellowship Hall of the church following the service. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials be sent to First Christian UCC 415 S. Church St, Burlington, NC 27215, the Women’s Resource Center of Alamance County 411-B Fifth St., Burlington, NC 27215 or to a charity of your choice. Condolences may be offered online at www.richandthompson.com