Betty Gunn Stukes
Decatur
Betty Gunn Stukes, 79, of Decatur, formerly of Beverly Hills, Fla., passed away March 23, 2010. Visitation will be Thursday, March 25, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Ridouts Brown Service Funeral Home, with graveside service Friday, March 26, at 11 a.m. at Decatur City Cemetery. Betty, affectionately known as "BB", was born August 22, 1930, in Limestone County to Joseph Rike Gunn and Ruth Lewis Gunn. She graduated from Riverside High School, Decatur in 1948. She taught swim lessons and was a lifeguard during her early years and taught her grandchildren the love for swimming. Her wit and humor was loved by all; her favorite pastimes included crossword puzzles, drinking coffee and playing Bingo in Florida several nights each week with her "bingo buddies." She worked as a bookkeeper at Holland and Woodard and Decatur-Athens Aero Services, both in Decatur, during the years as she raised her children. She also worked at Florida Power in Crystal River before her retirement, when she moved to Florida with her husband, Herb Stukes. After retirement, she gained her realtors license and worked for Seven Rivers Realty in Dunnellon, Fla., where she won the award of being a "million dollar seller". She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother William T Gunn, Sr. of Palm Bay, Fla., and her husband. Survivors include daughters, Nancy Gillespie, Virginia Byrd and her husband Gordon, all of Decatur, and Laine Stacey Elsing of Beverly Hills, Fla; grandchildren, Tonya Gillespie Jones (Chris), Tracy Moore Glenn (Tag), Shannon Gillespie Grace (Jeffrey), Daniel Moore, Kim Gillespie Weinman (Bo), and Meg Gillespie; and great-grandchildren, Jacob, Parker, Joshua, Wyatt, Turner and Paige.