Obituary of Betty Lou Thomas Moffitt Grant

On December 10, 2021, Betty Lou Thomas Moffitt Grant, 89, slipped peacefully into eternal rest after a short period of declining health. Born October 30, 1932, to Harry J. Thomas and Della Byrd Thomas. She was a lifelong resident of Bryson City, NC, and a graduate of Swain County High School. In addition to her parents, Betty was preceded in death by her three siblings Harry L. Thomas, Mariann Thomas Hicks Burgess, Joseph Thomas and their spouses, her first husband Charles R. Moffitt, their infant son Thomas Edgar Moffitt, her second husband Kenneth E. Grant, and nephew Layton “Skeeter” Moore. She was a devoted Christian. As a child she was a member of Deep Creek Baptist Church, Cold Springs Baptist Church while living in the Lauada community, and most recently an active member of Victory Baptist Church. Throughout her life she worked in many roles. She did bookkeeping and secretarial work in the offices of Swain County High School, Carolina Building Supply Co., and Holiday Inn Cherokee. She served four years as Swain County Assistant Clerk of Court, was a Realtor, a Mary Kay consultant, and worked alongside her husband Kenneth in their flea market business Grant’s Bargains. Above all these she was a care giver. Caring not only for her husbands, children, and grandchildren but also many extended family members. She often said she had missed her calling and should have become a nurse. To us, she was our nurse just without a formal degree. She gardened, canned, and cooked countless delicious meals for family, friends, and church members. She was an avid reader, loved sewing, working jigsaw puzzles, and playing cards with her friends. Above all these she should be remembered as a faithful servant of the Lord and lover of her family, supporting and encouraging them in all they strived to do. At age 83 she learned to quilt from her daughter in law, Sue. Quilt making was a goal she had for herself when she got “old”. When asked as she pieced her first quilt if she considered herself old she replied, “Well I am older now than I have ever been”. Betty was the anchor and matriarch of our family and will be sorely missed. She would expect everyone who loved her and will miss her to remember her fondly and for them to continue on faithfully. If there were words to describe her they would include steadfast, resilient, faithful, strong, and perseverant. This was how she tackled life and taught us all by her example to just press on. She is survived by her children Charles Alan Moffitt and wife Sue, Beverly Moffitt Crawford and husband Jamie. By Kenneth’s daughter Judy Grant Sutton and husband Mac. By her grandchildren Dusty Schiestel and Monroe, Ethan Rockett and Lisa, Taylor McLeod and Thomas. Her grandchildren on Kenneth’s side, Donna Adams and Jerry, Lynn Pressley and Steven, great grand children Michael Pressley, Faith Pressley, and Hannah Sullivan. Great great grand daughter Nellie Grace Pressley. She is also survived by nieces Kathy Moore Brown, Jean Moore Hazzard, Carol Ann Thomas, and Sandra Lynn Thomas and their families. In addition, she is survived by her sister Mariann’s girls who are nieces in name only and are actually daughters, Kathy Hicks Glover and Steve, and Elizabeth Hicks Borman. Great nephew Matthew Glover and great niece Elissa Glover Noel and Adam to whom she became a grandmother and great grandmother to August and Isaiah Noel. Betty is also survived by her friends and caregivers of Mountain View Manor. Her longtime roommate Dorothy Rowland and family. Special and faithful friends Carolyn Crawford, Sandi Perrigo, Sandra Garland, and Theresa Bryson. May we honor Betty in striving to charge boldly into the future living and loving both God and family as faithfully as she did for her 89 years.