Betty Ann Boyts

Betty Ann Boyts, 98, passed away on Sunday, June 18, 2023 in Pioneer, TN.
She was born to Frederick Delbert and Opal (Fisher) Beach on November 17, 1924 in Elkhorn, WI.
Betty grew up on a farm in Mazomanie, WI and loved the farm life. She especially loved dogs and horses from an early age. When she was 4 years old her mother passed away, which rocked her world.
At the age of 22 she got on a bus and headed off for a new adventure to attend nursing school at the New England Sanitarium and Hospital School of Nursing (1974) in Stoneham, MA near Boston.
After she received her nursing degree and worked a couple of years, she met Charles H. Boyts and married him on June 18, 1950. With this marriage came two young daughters, Nancy and Bonnie. She took them under her wing and mothered them so well they called her “Momma” until the end.
Once the girls were grown, she and Charles moved to Florida where they eventually purchased a farm and named it “Char-Bet Farms” in Christmas, FL. They lived there for over 50 years. Betty worked as a nurse for many years at Wuesthoff Memorial Hospital in Rockledge, Fl. But her first love was being outdoors on the farm. You could find her out in her old station wagon selling eggs when they had an egg business, sometimes with a grandchild or two under tow. Later she boarded horses. The boarders called her Miss B (an endearing term) and helped her keep things going on the farm after Charles passed away. She could often be seen on the big mower or the tractor with her big straw hat, which she much preferred to housekeeping.
The farm is where the family would gather on weekends and enjoy pony rides, bonfires, hayrides, good food (especially Betty’s pies) and a lot of fun. It could be a hard life, but she never complained. She was an extremely hard worker and always kept busy doing something around the farm. Often, she hosted busloads of children to the farm for field trips.
She was a long-time member of the Titusville Seventh-Day Adventist church, and loved helping in the children’s divisions, VBS and potlucks.
For the last seven years of her life, she moved between Florida and Tennessee enjoying time withher daughters, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren. She was tough, yet tender and was loved by all who got to know her.
She is survived by her daughter, Nancy Lee Smith, seven grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband Charles (2005) and daughter Bonnie Ann Wilkens (2022).
She will be interned and laid to rest alongside her husband and father at the Brevard Memorial Park, in Cocoa, FL. Her memorial will be held in Florida.
Harp Funeral Home of Jellico in charge of arrangements.