- Date Of Birth: April 2, 1928
- Date Of Death: May 25, 2012
- State: Illinois
Betty J. Teaford died Friday, May 25, 2012, at Passavant Area Hospital in Jacksonville. Betty described her 84 years as “a wonderful walk through life with the Lord”. Her faith and devotion to the Lord were the foundation on which she built her professional and personal life.
She was born April 2, 1928, in Townley, Alabama; the daughter of Jacob Grover Sr. and Mary Alsip Teaford. She graduated from Townley High School and Walker Junior College. She earned her BS at Anderson University in Anderson, Indiana, and a Master’s of Divinity from St. Paul’s School of Theology-Methodist.
She and the Reverend Margaret Sims organized a congregation in Jasper, Alabama. Betty’s father, Jacob Teaford, was among those who erected the building for the Jasper Memorial Park Church of God which is still an active congregation after more than 50 years.
Reverend Teaford pastored at the First Church of God in Kansas City, Kansas until 1968 when she moved to Jacksonville as the assistant director of the Elm City Rehabilitation Center. Six months later, she was asked to become the executive director (President/CEO)and lead the Center from bankruptcy. She served in this capacity for 33 years until her retirement in 2001. During those years, she guided the Center in the development of new programs and facilities. Her focus always remained on the special people served by the Center’s programs. In her retirement, Elm City Center was well respected throughout the state. It was debt-free with enough money in investments and assets to put it in a strong position for the future. In her honor, a building at Elm City was named “The Teaford Training Center”.
Betty, who was a certified rehabilitation counselor, was a leader in the development of rehabilitation services in Illinois through her long-term service as a member of the board of directors of the Illinois Association of Rehabilitation Facilities. She was also a member of the National Association of Rehabilitation, and the American Association of Mental Retardation, and served on other state committees. She was active in the Jacksonville community with involvement in the League of Women Voters, Soroptimist Club, the Jacksonville Area Chamber of Commerce, and the West Central Rural Transit District. She formerly served on the board of directors of the Big Brother/Big Sister Association, the Wells Center, the Alvin Eades Center, and the Sherwood Eddy YMCA. She was named Business Woman of The Year in 1987 by the B.P.W. organization and, in 2003, was elected to the Jacksonville Area Hall of Fame in recognition of her contribution to the community.
She attended Centenary United Methodist Church and Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church. She enjoyed gardening and was a devoted Green Bay Packers fan. She loved her friends at both Wednesday Morning Devotions and the water exercise class at the YMCA.
Betty was preceded in death by her parents; two sisters, Virginia Murray and Mary Helen Lint; and four brothers, Jacob Grover Jr., Lloyd, Harry, and Paul Teaford.
She is survived by a brother, William Frederick Teaford (wife, Jackie) of Birmingham, AL; her long time best friend, Linda Day; a foster daughter, Becca Falk of Pendelton, IN; a grandson, Major Brian Smith (wife, Barbara and their children, Christina Betty Jo and Josiah) of Richmond Hill, GA; a granddaughter, Heather Puckett (husband, Luke and their children, Luke Jr., Katlin, Hunter, McKenzie, and Brianna)of Decatur; several nieces and nephews; and her many special friends at Elm City Center.
