Betty Jean (Matthews) Stein

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the peaceful passing of Betty Matthews Stein, at her home, on February 11, 2019. Betty was born in Cullman, Alabama to Emmett Eugene and Sara Elizabeth Goff Matthews on March 22, 1933, raised in Cullman and a graduate of Cullman High School, she relocated to Huntsville, Alabama to begin employment in the secretarial pool at Redstone Arsenal in the 1950’s.

Betty met and married Richard James Stein, beginning a new career as wife and mother. Betty was a devoted and loving mother to her three daughters, teaching them to become responsible productive adults, able to provide for themselves became her focus. She taught her daughters to pull themselves up by their boot straps, to soldier on and often told them to pen their ears back and just do it. Later in life as a doting grandmother, Betty taught her grandchildren the same self- reliant never give up attitude she instilled in her daughters.

Betty loved pretty things and creating a lovely comfortable home for her family was very important to her. She enjoyed decorating, flower arranging, gardening and was a voracious reader.  She enjoyed a good joke, had a quick wit and good old common sense. Betty enjoyed political discussions, a life- long democrat, she took particular delight in debating republicans, she was a news hound always on top of current political developments.  A life- long member of Cullman First United Methodist Church Betty spent many hours reading and studying her Bible, never afraid to question what she read, her questions simply deepening her faith. After a life well lived Betty has gone home, she will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her.

She is survived by three daughters, Robyn Gardner (Gary) of Silsbee, Texas, Katy Starkey of Huntsville, Alabama, Rebecca Galloway (Robert) of Owens Cross Roads, Alabama; by three grandchildren, Savannah Hinton of Huntsville, Alabama, Matthew Starkey of Huntsville, Alabama, Spencer Stein of Huntsville, Alabama; by two great-grandchildren, Kasen Appel of Huntsville Alabama, Logan Hinton of Rockford, Illinois.

The family will receive friends Thursday, February 14, 2019 from 6:00 until 8:00 pm at Spry Funeral Home. Graveside Service will be held Friday, February 15, 2019 at 1:00 pm at Cullman City Cemetery.

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