Betty Deborah Riddle Donald

SPARTANBURG, SC— On Wednesday, October 2, 2019, Betty Deborah Riddle Donald passed away at the young age of 66 in a loving space with her children by her side. Her death was due to cancer which beyond all odds she survived over a year and half after her diagnosis.

On July 2, 1953, Betty was born in Woodruff, SC as the youngest of five older brothers: Bobby, Charles, Johnny, Paul, and Joe who all passed before their little sister. Her parents are the late Willie Everette and Juanita Whittaker Riddle. She was a graduate of Gray Court-Owings High School. Betty met Bryson William Donald in Woodruff who she later married in 1975. They raised two children together until their divorce in 1993. She later met Jerry Powell who she shared the last 26 years of her life with.

She loved all children. She spent many happy days of her life with her nieces. She was always a very proud mother, and she was an extremely loving mother and grandmother. She was a very compassionate friend. Talking to strangers was one of her favorite past times. Well, talking in general was one of her favorite things; she was talking until the day she died. She also loved black coffee, warm hugs and caring smiles. And one thing you could always depend on with Betty was her being late. She was even late getting to heaven if you consider that the doctors said she only had two to six months left, and that was a year and seven months ago. She was very strong and very stubborn even with her maker it seems. Her heart was always heavy with the love she felt for others, and it is truly a blessing she carried on as long as she did. She shared proverbs with almost everyone she met. Here are just a few of her favorites: “Do unto others as you’d have them do unto you”; “You are where you are meant to be”; “Kill them with kindness”; (and a personal favorite of her children’s) “Say your prayers morning and night.”

She is survived by her wonderful children: Joshua and Ashley Donald; treasured friend: Jerry Powell; very loved grandchildren: Dohvya and Oliver Chapman; sibling-like-cousins: Barbara Parris and Susan Hughes; much-loved nieces and a nephew; dearly-loved friends; and many, many loved strangers she met along her path in life. Her unremitted love, her endearing smile, and enormously-caring heart will be missed by all. Her love was like no other.

A gathering in celebration of her life will be held at 1:00 P.M., Sunday, October 6, 2019 at the Young’s Community School House, 492 Young's School House Road in Woodruff, South Carolina 29388 (Located next to the Young's Fire Department). Officiating will be Reverend Steve Ramey, friends and those gathered are welcomed to speak in her honor and share their stories of her.