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Sarah Betty Sue Exum (Gosnell)
Born: 2/22/1939
Died: 11/25/2021
Age: 82
Community: Burton, MI
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EXUM, Sarah Betty Sue (Gosnell), 82, of Burton, went to be with the Lord on November 25, 2021, following a brief illness.
Betty was born on February 22, 1939, to Roy and Jessie Gosnell in Asheville, NC, the sixth of seven children. She attended Woodfin High School until her junior year, where she was a class officer and in the glee club. Her family relocated to Michigan and she graduated from Bendle High School in 1956, where she was in Red Cross, FHA, glee club, and had a role in the school play "Daddy Longlegs". She pined for the south and upon graduation returned to Columbia, SC to pursue a degree in nursing at Columbia University School of Nursing. She was a class officer and on the basketball team. She was voted Miss Dum Spiro Spero (Latin for "While I Breathe, I Hope"), the motto of those who refuse to quit until the very last breath.
After graduation, Betty remained in Columbia, SC, working as a nurse at Columbia Hospital until 1962 when she returned to Flint to continue her nursing career at McLaren Hospital. She loved the diversity of nursing and really enjoyed assisting in surgery until she took a position in the women's ward of the hospital.
Betty married Earl Exum in 1963 and adopted Linda, who was almost 9. Almost a year later, they welcomed their first son, Victor, into the family, although he was tragically lost in infancy. Subsequently, four other children followed: Mark, Jessieca, Tim, and Angela.
After marriage, she was a homemaker. She had dinner on the family table every night at 5:00 p.m. with sweet tea to drink. She was a wonderful cook of Southern homestyle foods, and baked treats on a regular basis for her doctor and dentist and their staffs, as well as teachers and friends. She gardened, canned, volunteered at school and church, and visited with her sister Dorothy. She enjoyed family camping trips and fishing, and watching Sunday afternoon boxing matches. She was very patriotic and loved to see American flags on display wherever she went, and had a flagpole erected in her front yard for daily enjoyment. Betty had unshakable values and was a friend for life. She stood up for what was right and defended the underdog. She enjoyed a well-spun story and crossword puzzles.
Betty was a member of South Flint Church of the Nazarene for over 50 years until its closing, and more recently attended Davison Missionary Church.
Betty was the heart and soul of the family.
While she breathed, she hoped, and she refused to quit until the very last breath. She will be terribly missed.
Betty is survived by her husband of 58 years, Earl; children, Linda Murdaugh of Burton, Mark Exum of Grand Blanc, Jessieca (Bob) Bostetter of Coppell, TX, Tim (Lisa) Exum of Lake Worth, FL, Angela (Matt) Lashley of Davison; grandchildren Nathan Murdaugh, Andrew Murdaugh, Jacob (Heidy) Exum, Joshua Exum, Elijah Lashley, Benjamin Bostetter, Amelia Bostetter, Rachel Lashley and Noelle Lashley; and great-grandchildren Jacob, Logan, Alyssa and Ethan; brothers James (Faye) Gosnell of Flint, and Steve (Gail) Gosnell of Winter Haven, FL; brother-in-law Jack Peek of Columbia SC, and sisters-in-law Betty Lee Gosnell of Greer, SC and Jean Gosnell of Fruitland Park, FL, as well as several loving nephews and nieces. She was preceded in death by her parents Roy and Jessie Gosnell, infant son Victor, sisters Dorothy Foster and Peggy Peek, brothers Roy Gosnell and Dick Gosnell, nephew Matthew Gosnell, niece Rebecca Greer, and son-in-law Joel Murdaugh.
Visitation will take place on Friday, December 3, 2021 at Swartz Funeral Home in Grand Blanc from 12:00 - 8:00 p.m. The family will also receive visitors prior to the funeral from 11:00 - 12:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, December 4, 2021 at 12:00 p.m. at Davison Missionary Church in Davison, MI, Pastor Jason Crum officiating. Graveside service will immediately follow at Evergreen Cemetery in Grand Blanc.
Your condolences may be shared with the family at swartzfuneralhomeinc.com
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| Visitation |
| Date: |
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12/3/2021 |
| Time: |
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12:00 PM |
| Visitation will take place on Friday, December 3, 2021 at Swartz Funeral Home in Grand Blanc from 12:00 - 8:00 p.m. The family will also receive visitors prior to the funeral from 11:00 - 12:00 p.m. at the funeral home. |
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| Funeral Service |
| Date: |
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12/4/2021 |
| Time: |
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12:00 PM |
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| Location: |
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Davison Missionary Church
1481 North Gale Road
Davison, MI Get a Map to this location...
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| Official: |
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Pastor Jason Crum |
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