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It isn’t just that Betsy Rhodes seemed to have love in every cell in her body. It’s that she worked every day to send that love out into the world. Whether it was staying up till all hours preparing a meal, driving across the state when one of her children needed her, or just providing a sympathetic ear when you needed to talk, Betsy helped first and asked questions later. She punctuated the end of every conversation with “love, love, love,” and you knew it came from the heart. She took greeting card sentiments and made them real. She found a reason to love everyone, and continually looked for ways to serve. Even in hospice care, she wanted to lighten the burden of her nurses, to the point that they had to assure her that they loved their work, they were there to comfort her, and she didn’t have to apologize for asking for something. Betsy Rhodes died June 28 at the age of 69 at Hock Family Pavilion in Durham. She spent her final days there, surrounded by friends and family, after being treated for pancreatic cancer at Duke University Medical Center. Nearly every day of her life before that she spent in Asheville. She was born there in 1951, moved back after college, and spent most of her adult life in a house just a couple of blocks from the one where she grew up. Betsy truly bloomed where she was planted. She spent her lifetime as the member of one church, Grace Covenant Presbyterian on Merrimon Avenue. She spent her professional career as a teacher in the Asheville public schools. And she had one true love, Sam Rhodes, whom she married in 1978. Together they raised three children: Jim, who now lives in Charlotte with wife Chelsea and daughters Ellie, Maggie and Sadie; Katie, who lives in Charlotte with husband Erik Mendelssohn and son Samuel; and Meg, who lives in Raleigh with husband Alan Chester. Betsy and Sam devoted their lives to their children during that phase of life, and there was no length Betsy would not go to, whether it meant making her now-famous football pie for Jim’s football team at Asheville High, driving Katie back to class at Carolina through a blizzard (or at least trying to), or staying up all night on the bathroom floor comforting Meg through a bout of migraines – and still getting up to go to work the next morning. She drove the wheels off four Chrysler minivans, racking up more than a half-million miles all told. Seeing Betsy flying around town with kids and casseroles in tow was a common sight. Unseen were the nights she jumped in the minivan and drove to Raleigh or Charlotte or wherever it was that one of her children was in need. She might have to drive back to Asheville the next morning, but that didn’t deter her. But a bottomless well of compassion did not mean that Betsy was a pushover. Her children and students knew that her love came with certain expectations of behavior, including keeping your language clean. When her niece told her to “kick cancer’s a-s-s,” Betsy corrected her: “You mean kick cancer’s bottom.” She had the ability to find the good in seemingly every situation, yet was not a Pollyanna. She might not condemn you, but neither would she be afraid to tell you when you were making a bad decision. Her view of life undoubtedly stemmed in part from her deep faith. She lived out the Christian ideal of loving God with all your heart, and loving your neighbor as yourself. Her parents, Bill and Bettie Jean Pritchard, were founding members of Grace Covenant. The church helped raise her, and then she repaid the debt many times over. When she returned to Asheville as a young adult, she served as a youth group adviser. Over the years she served in every role imaginable, including chairman of worship, chairman of Christian education, deacon, elder, and leader of the welcoming committee. In 2016 she was named an honorary life member of the Presbyterian Women, recognizing her lifetime of commitment to the church. Under that guideline, Betsy could probably be an honorary life member of a hundred other organizations. Among them, the Kappa Kappa Iota teaching sorority. She was active in the sorority throughout her teaching career and into retirement, and was a leader, serving in numerous roles including president at both the state and local levels. Teaching was a true passion. She started teaching right after she graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1973, and she didn’t stop even after she officially retired in 2003. During that 30-year stretch she taught at two schools -- William Randolph Elementary and Ira B. Jones Elementary – most often teaching third grade, and often pulling double-duty as a teacher for academically gifted students. She earned a masters degree in education early in her career but never sought an administrative job, believing she could help children most in the classroom. After retiring, she worked as a reading tutor for elementary students, and taught an early childhood development class through Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College at several high schools across the county. Betsy remained active in all of the passions of her life until her cancer diagnosis in April. In addition to her husband, children and grandchildren, she is survived by her three siblings — Ellen Henderson of Goldsboro, N.C.; Billy Pritchard of Romney, W.Va.; and David Pritchard of Columbus, N.C. — as well as many cousins, nieces and nephews, and the loving friends that Betsy considered family. The family would like to thank everyone that has sent prayers, care packages, flowers, cards, food, messages and support over the past few months as Betsy battled the many health issues. That support gave Betsy and her family the love and energy they needed each and every day. Betsy’s family will receive friends on Saturday, July 10th, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at Morris Funeral & Cremation Care. Betsy’s memorial service is scheduled for 2:00 pm on Sunday, July 11th at Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church in Asheville. The family will lay Betsy to rest, next to her Mother and Father, at Riverside Cemetery in Asheville. In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations to the Asheville City Schools Foundation or MANNA Food Bank in honor of Betsy’s memory.

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Betsy Pritchard Rhodes

September 25, 1951 - June 28, 2021

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