Bessie Ruth Burton

Bessie Ruth Burton, age 96, our beloved mother, grandmother, great grandmother, great-great grandmother, aunt and sister, passed away peacefully on July 22, 2025. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, July 24, 2025, at 11AM at Dillard's Funeral Home in Brundidge, Alabama. Interment will follow in Lakeview Cemetery in Brundidge. Visitation with the family will occur one hour prior to the service. Bessie was born and raised in the Banks community and attended Pike County High School in Brundidge. She began her working career in the glove factory, which later became the Fruit of the Loom Shirt Factory where she worked for 30 years. There were many from the "shirt factory" who became not only friends, but like family over the years. After a brief time in retirement, Bessie became the caregiver to Mrs. Foy Graham for several years, and she was forever grateful for the time she spent with the Graham family. Bessie was a devoted wife to her husband, Ray, who she cared for until his death in 1993. She was known for her "green thumb" and being able to grow most any fruit, vegetable or flower, especially her African violets. Her gift for gardening and growing vegetables always led up to her "vacation" from the shirt factory …for putting up, freezing and canning her fruits and vegetables. She was always determined nothing would be left to ruin. She was known to prepare and cook the best Sunday meals, and no one could match her baked fresh cream corn. You were blessed if you ever ate her biscuits, cakes, pies, butter beans, peas, and her banana pudding! Her hands were never still, and she could often be found needle point stitching and especially quilting. Her family still cherishes the many quilts she beautifully created over the years. Bessie will be remembered fondly and admirably by her family and friends as virtuous woman who was always dressed her best. She always wore a smile on her face and a sparkle in her eyes. She was even known to win a couple of pageants while she was a resident at Troy Health and Rehabilitation. She was loved by many and will be missed by all who were blessed to know her, and her family will forever appreciate all of the caregivers who so thoughtfully and tenderly cared for her during her stay at Troy Health and Rehabilitation. She is survived by daughters: Bobbie Jean Ellsworth (Bobby Joe), and Linda Jones (Donny); grandchildren: Roxanne Cottle (Wade), Ronnie Ellsworth, Jenny Wesley (Heath), and Barry Leatherwood (Leslie); great grandchildren: Hayden Olive (Mary Kate), Hayley Scroggins (Will), Taylor Anne Cottle, Sam Cottle, Annabelle Wesley, Gradyn Wesley, Eli Wesley, Levi Wesley, Abby Leatherwood, Preston Leatherwood, and Isaac Leatherwood; great great grandchildren: Pike Scroggins and Wyatt Olive; and brother: Bryant Brown (Charlotte). She was preceded in death by parents, Calvin and Cora Brown; sisters: Era Harden, Estelle McVay, Mamie Price and Agnes Green; brothers: Bradley Brown and Little Jack Brown; and husband Ray Burton The family requests that instead of flowers, donations be made to Bethel Baptist Church in Banks, AL.