Betty Jo Gurner

Child-Student-Wife-Mother-Teacher-Grandmother-Great Grandmother-Great-Great Grandmother-A Long Full Life

Betty Jo was born in the Pine Valley community of Yalobusha County on October 29, 1931. She was the second of four children born to Ray andLela Massie Evans. She attended Jeff Davis School through the 11 th grade and finished her senior year at Water Valley High School in 1949. Sheattended Ole Miss briefly before marrying Bruce Gurner on May 26, 1950, and starting a family. She juggled the roles of wife, mother, andstudent until she graduated with her degree in Library Science. She went on to get her Masters Degree and work at Ole Miss, Oxford High School and Charleston High School. She taught 27 years before joining Bruce in retirement and she then began pursuing on of her dreams, traveling the United States, Canada, and Europe with her friends, that wonderful bank group headed by Melvin Ford.

Other loves were her garden club, Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs baseball, men’s college basketball and Ole Miss football. In the last fewyears she has enjoyed sitting in her chair, reading with the television on and having no idea what was playing and telling everyone how old shewas and that she could do what she wanted. When you would leave she would give a flick of her hand and say, “Okay, I’ll be right here when you get back.” Until one day she wasn’t.

She is survived by six children, Bill (Sheila) of Shannon, MS, Hugh (Marty), Melissa Burrell, Joe (Anita) of Water Valley, Richard (Gale) of Oxford,Rober (Mel) of Huntsville, AL and a brother Jim Evans of Water Valley along with numerous nieces, nephews, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren.

Betty was preceded in death by her husband Bruce, her parents, Ray and Lela Evans, and two brothers, Ray Jr. and Billy.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to the Town and Country Garden Club of Water Valley or the Second Chance Animal Alliance.

A visitation will be held in the Gardiner Room of Seven Oaks Funeral Home on Saturday, February 7, from 9:30 to 11:00 AM. A private family service will follow.