Betty Ruth Gowan had no idea what she was getting into when she agreed to go on a blind date with Tommy Bullock on February 17, 1961. Betty was born June 17, 1939 in West Springs, South Carolina near Spartanburg to the late James Henry and Ruth Carter Gowan. She was raised in a Christian home with an older sister and a younger brother. Her sister preceded her in death in July 2006. She was active in the Methodist Church and in the MFY. After graduating from high school, she became a secretary at Tamassee Dar School (Daughters of American Revolution) about ten miles from Clemson University. She became a good friend with Becky, a teacher at the school, who was dating Dwight Parrott at Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. She met her future husband, Tommy Bullock, on a blind date February 17, 1961. That was the beginning of a relationship that lasted for almost 52 years. Betty and Tommy were married on September 3, 1961 at the Tamassee Dar School chapel. She left her beloved state of South Carolina and became a lifelong resident of Tennessee.
Betty was a good "preacher's wife". She was a person of deep faith and prayer. She loved people and they loved her. Her mother taught her to be an excellent cook and to extend hospitality to friend and stranger. She supported her husband, Tommy, in every appointment that they served—Paris First Associate, Beech Bluff crt., Gadsden-Center-Cypress, Dexter-Hardin-Olive-Palestine, Adamsville First, Alamo First, Dyer First, Bethany Parkway-Stephenson Chapel, and Grimes Memorial. She was actively involved in all the activities of the church as a wife and mother. She taught in Vacation Bible School and worked in various projects in the church. She gave birth to two daughters: Ann, born at Paris General Hospital and Gail at Jackson General Hospital. She found time to pursue her interests and hobbies. She enjoyed reading mystery novels, working crossword puzzles and jigsaw puzzles. She had a good sense of humor. She would often tell people about some funny story that happened in a church service or in the life of the parsonage family.
Although the role of a preacher's wife kept her busy, she found time to work outside the parsonage home as a secretary at Wesley Tower's home for the aging in Memphis from January 1985 until May 2002 when she retired after 17 years.
After 42 years of service, Tommy retired in June 2002. Betty was thrilled to be living in her own home in Jackson, TN after living in parsonages for several years. She said she could not really retire because Tommy kept serving retired appointments: Mt. Zion, Dyer First as interim, and Gibson-Moore's Chapel. Betty continued to help and give support in our ministry.
Betty has been blessed by giving birth to two daughters; Ann (William) Tinker of Savannah, TN and Gail (Bryan) Sharp of Dyer, TN, 3 grandchildren, 4 great-grandchildren, and a great-great grandchild to be born in August 2013.
Betty died from complications of a complete knee replacement, followed by a stroke, then emergency gall bladder surgery. She died under the care of hospice on April 14, 2013 at Jackson Madison General Hospital. She has entered another phase of her life as a member of the Church Triumphant. A celebration of her life was held at Dyer First United Methodist Church on April 20, 2013 with Rev. Don Barnett, Rev. Harrell Nation, and Rev. John Archer officiating. Betty Ruth Gowan Bullock was laid to rest in Oakwood Cemetery in Dyer, Tennessee.
Betty was a good "preacher's wife". She was a person of deep faith and prayer. She loved people and they loved her. Her mother taught her to be an excellent cook and to extend hospitality to friend and stranger. She supported her husband, Tommy, in every appointment that they served—Paris First Associate, Beech Bluff crt., Gadsden-Center-Cypress, Dexter-Hardin-Olive-Palestine, Adamsville First, Alamo First, Dyer First, Bethany Parkway-Stephenson Chapel, and Grimes Memorial. She was actively involved in all the activities of the church as a wife and mother. She taught in Vacation Bible School and worked in various projects in the church. She gave birth to two daughters: Ann, born at Paris General Hospital and Gail at Jackson General Hospital. She found time to pursue her interests and hobbies. She enjoyed reading mystery novels, working crossword puzzles and jigsaw puzzles. She had a good sense of humor. She would often tell people about some funny story that happened in a church service or in the life of the parsonage family.
Although the role of a preacher's wife kept her busy, she found time to work outside the parsonage home as a secretary at Wesley Tower's home for the aging in Memphis from January 1985 until May 2002 when she retired after 17 years.
After 42 years of service, Tommy retired in June 2002. Betty was thrilled to be living in her own home in Jackson, TN after living in parsonages for several years. She said she could not really retire because Tommy kept serving retired appointments: Mt. Zion, Dyer First as interim, and Gibson-Moore's Chapel. Betty continued to help and give support in our ministry.
Betty has been blessed by giving birth to two daughters; Ann (William) Tinker of Savannah, TN and Gail (Bryan) Sharp of Dyer, TN, 3 grandchildren, 4 great-grandchildren, and a great-great grandchild to be born in August 2013.
Betty died from complications of a complete knee replacement, followed by a stroke, then emergency gall bladder surgery. She died under the care of hospice on April 14, 2013 at Jackson Madison General Hospital. She has entered another phase of her life as a member of the Church Triumphant. A celebration of her life was held at Dyer First United Methodist Church on April 20, 2013 with Rev. Don Barnett, Rev. Harrell Nation, and Rev. John Archer officiating. Betty Ruth Gowan Bullock was laid to rest in Oakwood Cemetery in Dyer, Tennessee.
Betty Ruth Gowan had no idea what she was getting into when she agreed to go on a blind date with Tommy Bullock on February 17, 1961. Betty was born June 17, 1939 in West Springs, South Carolina near Spartanburg to the late James Henry and Ruth Carter Gowan. She was raised in a Christian home with an older sister and a younger brother. Her sister preceded her in death in July 2006. She was active in the Methodist Church and in the MFY. After graduating from high school, she became a secretary at Tamassee Dar School (Daughters of American Revolution) about ten miles from Clemson University. She became a good friend with Becky, a teacher at the school, who was dating Dwight Parrott at Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. She met her future husband, Tommy Bullock, on a blind date February 17, 1961. That was the beginning of a relationship that lasted for almost 52 years. Betty and Tommy were married on September 3, 1961 at the Tamassee Dar School chapel. She left her beloved state of South Carolina and became a lifelong resident of Tennessee.
Betty was a good "preacher's wife". She was a person of deep faith and prayer. She loved people and they loved her. Her mother taught her to be an excellent cook and to extend hospitality to friend and stranger. She supported her husband, Tommy, in every appointment that they served—Paris First Associate, Beech Bluff crt., Gadsden-Center-Cypress, Dexter-Hardin-Olive-Palestine, Adamsville First, Alamo First, Dyer First, Bethany Parkway-Stephenson Chapel, and Grimes Memorial. She was actively involved in all the activities of the church as a wife and mother. She taught in Vacation Bible School and worked in various projects in the church. She gave birth to two daughters: Ann, born at Paris General Hospital and Gail at Jackson General Hospital. She found time to pursue her interests and hobbies. She enjoyed reading mystery novels, working crossword puzzles and jigsaw puzzles. She had a good sense of humor. She would often tell people about some funny story that happened in a church service or in the life of the parsonage family.
Although the role of a preacher's wife kept her busy, she found time to work outside the parsonage home as a secretary at Wesley Tower's home for the aging in Memphis from January 1985 until May 2002 when she retired after 17 years.
After 42 years of service, Tommy retired in June 2002. Betty was thrilled to be living in her own home in Jackson, TN after living in parsonages for several years. She said she could not really retire because Tommy kept serving retired appointments: Mt. Zion, Dyer First as interim, and Gibson-Moore's Chapel. Betty continued to help and give support in our ministry.
Betty has been blessed by giving birth to two daughters; Ann (William) Tinker of Savannah, TN and Gail (Bryan) Sharp of Dyer, TN, 3 grandchildren, 4 great-grandchildren, and a great-great grandchild to be born in August 2013.
Betty died from complications of a complete knee replacement, followed by a stroke, then emergency gall bladder surgery. She died under the care of hospice on April 14, 2013 at Jackson Madison General Hospital. She has entered another phase of her life as a member of the Church Triumphant. A celebration of her life was held at Dyer First United Methodist Church on April 20, 2013 with Rev. Don Barnett, Rev. Harrell Nation, and Rev. John Archer officiating. Betty Ruth Gowan Bullock was laid to rest in Oakwood Cemetery in Dyer, Tennessee.
Betty was a good "preacher's wife". She was a person of deep faith and prayer. She loved people and they loved her. Her mother taught her to be an excellent cook and to extend hospitality to friend and stranger. She supported her husband, Tommy, in every appointment that they served—Paris First Associate, Beech Bluff crt., Gadsden-Center-Cypress, Dexter-Hardin-Olive-Palestine, Adamsville First, Alamo First, Dyer First, Bethany Parkway-Stephenson Chapel, and Grimes Memorial. She was actively involved in all the activities of the church as a wife and mother. She taught in Vacation Bible School and worked in various projects in the church. She gave birth to two daughters: Ann, born at Paris General Hospital and Gail at Jackson General Hospital. She found time to pursue her interests and hobbies. She enjoyed reading mystery novels, working crossword puzzles and jigsaw puzzles. She had a good sense of humor. She would often tell people about some funny story that happened in a church service or in the life of the parsonage family.
Although the role of a preacher's wife kept her busy, she found time to work outside the parsonage home as a secretary at Wesley Tower's home for the aging in Memphis from January 1985 until May 2002 when she retired after 17 years.
After 42 years of service, Tommy retired in June 2002. Betty was thrilled to be living in her own home in Jackson, TN after living in parsonages for several years. She said she could not really retire because Tommy kept serving retired appointments: Mt. Zion, Dyer First as interim, and Gibson-Moore's Chapel. Betty continued to help and give support in our ministry.
Betty has been blessed by giving birth to two daughters; Ann (William) Tinker of Savannah, TN and Gail (Bryan) Sharp of Dyer, TN, 3 grandchildren, 4 great-grandchildren, and a great-great grandchild to be born in August 2013.
Betty died from complications of a complete knee replacement, followed by a stroke, then emergency gall bladder surgery. She died under the care of hospice on April 14, 2013 at Jackson Madison General Hospital. She has entered another phase of her life as a member of the Church Triumphant. A celebration of her life was held at Dyer First United Methodist Church on April 20, 2013 with Rev. Don Barnett, Rev. Harrell Nation, and Rev. John Archer officiating. Betty Ruth Gowan Bullock was laid to rest in Oakwood Cemetery in Dyer, Tennessee.
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