Betty Lee Hairr

Betty Lee Hairr, devoted wife, mother and grandmother, passed away on November 11, 2019.  She was loved by all and was an inspiration to all who knew her. 

Born to Ralph and Alice Lee on June 14, 1935 in Meadow, NC, she attended Meadow High School and graduated from Nursing School in 1955.  On December 24, 1955, she married the love of her life, Darroll Granville Hairr and they worked tirelessly to build a wonderful home for their daughter, who was born in 1970. 

In 1977, Betty was diagnosed with Syringomyelia, a rare disorder of the spinal cord, which nearly left her paralyzed and caused her to spend many months at Duke Hospital relearning to walk.  Undaunted by those challenges, she regained most of her mobility and raised her teenage daughter after the passing of her husband in 1983.  After being diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2005, she endured a long, intensive surgery and many months of rehabilitation to relearn many tasks which most take for granted.  In 2015 she was diagnosed with breast cancer and after several months of radiation and chemotherapy, with God’s help once again, she persevered. Betty loved life, and with determination and grit, she fought to be present on this earth for her family.  She was an extraordinary living testament to God’s love and to the strength of the human spirit to overcome all odds. 

Betty lived a remarkable life and instilled in her daughter and granddaughters a tenacious spirit to live life to the fullest.  She was an avid gardener and loved roses most of all.  She always enjoyed learning new things, as displayed later in life when she returned to Sampson Community College, where she took art classes and became a painter. She was a large promoter of a good education, and proudly boasted about her daughter’s and granddaughters’ higher degrees.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her brothers: Sherrill Deleon Lee and Dwight Edgerton Lee; parents-in-law, William Ransom and Allie Thornton Hairr; aunt, Emily Blackman Johnson and her uncle, Huth Blackman.

Betty leaves behind to cherish her memory, her daughter, Vicki Hairr Pope and husband, Timothy Jason Pope; Granddaughters: Madeline Pope Fetterman, and husband Trey, and Samantha Lynn Pope and boyfriend, Wyman, all of Clinton. She was blessed with many nephews, nieces and sisters-in-law, who also loved her dearly: nephews: Bill English of Willow Springs, Gene Lee of Benson, Deleon Lee of Benson; Nieces: Barbara English of Clayton, Jan Dorfer of Benson and Crystal Lee; sisters-in-law: Carolyn Lee and Patricia Goodwin, both of Benson; many grand-nieces and nephews, including Emily Gene Lee, Amber Lee, Tristan Lee, Nikki Lee and Dylan Lee.

Funeral Services will be held Thursday, November 14, 2019 at 2:00 pm at Hickory Grove Baptist Church, 11341 North US-421, Clinton with Rev. Matthew Creech officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Visitation for family and friends will be held one hour prior to the service in the sanctuary, beginning at 1:00 pm; and other times at the home of her daughter, 306 Sprunt Drive, Clinton.

The family would like to extend their sincere appreciation to her loving caregivers, who meant the world to Betty: Dorothy Scrivner, Elaine Capers, Sheila Armwood and Katie Brinson. 

Royal-Hall Funeral Home is honored to serve the Hairr Family.  

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