Betty Gardin

Betty Ruth Riden Gardin joined her beloved husband of 52 years, Franklin Delano Gardin, in Heaven August 5, 2022.

Betty Riden Gardin was born at home September 4, 1939 in McMinn County, Tennessee.

She was a star basketball player at Etowah High School, lettering all four years. As a young girl, she enjoyed writing short stories and poetry, reading and spending time with her beloved grandmother Lizzie Riden. She often walked the dirt road to her grandmother’s house to spend the night. Along that road, she imagined many of the characters that appeared in her stories. Once, she caught a groundhog with her bare hands and unable to let it go, she ran back home with it to her Daddy.

At age 17, on a high school trip to Dobbins Air Force Base in Georgia, she slipped into a recruiter tent to keep her snow cone from melting. There, she met a handsome young airman, Franklin Delano Gardin. It was love at first sight for both. They soon were married and living in Alaska. Twins Penny and Pam were born there. A transfer took them to Big Springs, Texas where Brett was born.

When Frank was sent to Vietnam, Betty busied herself raising three children and attended nursing school at Cleveland State College in Tennessee. She graduated Cum Laude. Frank returned from Vietnam with orders to move to California. Betty started her nursing career at American River Hospital in Sacramento.

The family settled in Douglasville, Georgia after a 22 year career in the Air Force. Frank sold cars while Betty worked at Cobb General Hospital, eventually serving as Coordinator of Nursing. Mom loved attending Atlanta Braves games.

In preparation for retirement, the couple began construction of a home in Blue Ridge. They did most of the work themselves and built a beautiful dream home with various garage/storage buildings, a picnic pavilion and gardens. They loved entertaining children and grandchildren at memorable holiday events that included boating, hayrides and amazing meals.

Betty was a charter member and volunteer with Feed Fannin. For many years she planted and tended a row of potatoes in the community garden that went to the food pantry. She also loved volunteering at the Clothes Closet and the Democratic Party annual yard sale. She was a member of Cherry Log Christian Church and loved every member of the congregation.

Her passions were visiting with family, telling hilarious stories, reading Stephen King books, gardening, food preservation, cooking, watching sports and having lunch at Pete’s Place with her numerous girlfriends. She was a consummate plotter of practical jokes.

She had an eclectic taste in music ranging from Mahalia Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Conway Twitty, Elvis, Queen, Temptations, Percy Sledge and The Rolling Stones. Family frequently heard her yell “Turn that music up! Louder! LOUDER!”

In addition to her husband Franklin Delano Gardin, Betty was preceded in death by her parents, Jesse Newton Riden and Daisy Mildred Barker Riden; siblings, Sibyl Riden Orr, Wade Riden and Vicki Carol Riden Pritchett.

She is survived by her children, Penny Gardin Lewis, (Dan) of MyrtleBeach, South Carolina, Pamela Gardin Gossett,  of Rome, Georgia, Brett Franklin Gardin, of Blue Ridge and niece/daughter Sherry Clark Farmer, of Cleveland, Tennessee.

Brothers: Dennis Riden (Jane), Rick Riden (June); and sisters: Linda Riden McNalley Hyde and Karen Jo Riden Able (Jerry).

Grandchildren: Jarrett Gossett (Amanda), Meagan Lewis Mapson (Jeff), Leslie Lewis Gradin (David), Jennifer Gossett Williams (Brent), Chris Lewis (Sarah), Rob Gardin (Stephanie), Rebecca Gossett (Trevor) and Madison Farmer.

Great-grandchildren: James Goble, Eleanor Gossett, Henry Gossett, Lincoln Williams, Ella Lewis Gradin and Baby Mapson on the way.

We will miss our mother, our Mammaw, our source for delicious Brandywine tomatoes, our basket of knowledge for all things Atlanta Braves, but mostly her laughter, her hugs and her “let me refresh your memory” stories.

Betty Gardin passed after a short illness during a road trip with daughter Pam to visit daughter Penny in Myrtle Beach. A friend wrote “To travel always means that, regardless of the fun and trials and scary curves, there is always an ending to the trip. Seems like your beautiful Mom’s last road trip took her straight to where she needed to be…surrounded by each of you…her legacies.”

Funeral services were held Friday, August 12, 2022, at 10 a.m. from Cherry Log Christian Church, 1149 Cherry Log Street, Cherry Log. The Rev. Monica Ledford officiated the services. Attendees were welcome to wear Atlanta Braves attire if they so wish. A Snow Cone Social followed the service in the parking lot of Cherry Log Christian Church.

Graveside services were held Friday, August 12, 2022 at 4 p.m. from the Sunrise Memorial Gardens at 11261 Veterans Memorial Hwy, Douglasville, Georgia, 30134. The Rev. Monica Ledford officiated.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to: Feed Fannin, 762 Ada Street, Blue Ridge, Georgia 30513; Craddock Center, 186 Fred Craddock Drive, Cherry Log, Georgia 30522; Cherry Log Christian Church Clothes, Closet P.O. Box 289, Cherry Log, Georgia, 30522

Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.akinsfuneralhome.com. Akins-Cobb Funerals & Cremations of Blue Ridge was in charge of the arrangements.