Bettye Thomas

Mrs. Bettye Bradford Thomas, 85, of Union City died Sunday, June 18, 2023, at her home.

Services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 24, 2023, at Greater Bethel Church of God in Christ. Interment will follow in East View Cemetery.

Visitation will begin at 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Friday at the church. A visitation will begin at 9:00 a.m. until time of service on Saturday at the church.

Bettye Jean Bradford Thomas was born on March 1, 1938, to the union of Mr. Lorenzo and Mrs. Carrie Bradford of Wingo, Kentucky. Mother Bettye graduated from Dunbar High School in Mayfield, Kentucky, in 1956. After graduating, she became a Certified Hospitality Housekeeping Executive (CCHE). She was later employed at Brown Shoe Plant. Mother Bettye then went on to work for Kinkead, a division of Sterling Plumbing Group in Union City, Tennessee. She retired from Kinkead after over 30 years of service. Following her retirement, she substituted for the Union City Public Schools District until 2004.

Mother Bettye professed Christ at an early age and was raised in the Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church of Wingo, Kentucky. She attended St. James AME Church in Mayfield, Kentucky. After moving to Tennessee, she attended Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church and later united with Greater Bethel Church of God in Christ, where she served on the Mother Board of the church. Mother Bettye often worshiped at the Anointed Church of the Living God. Mother Bettye was a prayer warrior who was on fire for the Lord. She was very compassionate and was great at comforting and encouraging those in need.

Mother Bettye loved to shop! She enjoyed purchasing anything adorned in sparkles, sequins along with coordinating hat, suit and shoe ensembles for church. She was an avid fisherwoman and an excellent cook. She took pride in preparing meals and fresh chocolate pies for her grandchildren. She loved her family deeply and enjoyed spending time with them, especially holidays.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, James L. Thomas, her granddaughter, Ashley Mheirat, and siblings: Dorothy Hutchinson, Floyd Bradford, Audrey Kelly, Everett Bradford, and Martha B. Sanders.

Mother Bettye leaves to cherish her memory her children, Cassandra Patterson of Memphis, Tennessee, Tanya Thomas of Union City, Tennessee, and Rev. Keith L. Jackson of Jeffersonville, Indiana. Her grandchildren are Sherman Guthrie, Jaclyn Marshall (Rev. Anthony Marshall, Jr.), Marisha Guthrie, Jamie Patterson, Delanie Jackson, Kaylee Jackson, and Jonathan Jackson, ten great-grandchildren, two great-great grandchildren and a host of family and friends.

Rawls Funeral Home - Union City 731-885-8110