Received word today, Feb. 24, that my friend Betsy Finley had gone to heaven after a short illness. She caught the flu back in January and it progressed to pneumonia, then went onto attack her organs and brain and was diagnosed with herpes encephalitis and worsened from there. She was in a coma for four weeks with little response to medication and whatever the doctors could do for her. It is very sad that she has passed, but I know someday we shall meet again in heaven. I thank the Lord that we knew each other. I'd like to share this one story.
Betsy Hubbs and I shared a house along with her sister, Susie, and another friend, Judy, back in 1982-1983 before we both married. Betsy was dating Wayne, who was in the Air Force, I believe, while I was dating Henry. Everyone in the church expected both of us to announce engagements anytime. On May 7, 1983, there was the annual senior banquet at the Independent Baptist Academy where Betsy and Henry were teachers. Couples got their photos taken to mark the event.
After the banquet Henry took me to a restaurant for dessert and asked me to marry him and he gave me a beautiful ring. Of course, I said "Yes!". When he dropped me off at the house, Betsy said that Wayne had given her a ring. We were both so excited. The next day was Mother's Day at church. Betsy and I sang in the choir alto section and stood next to each other. We were comparing rings and grinning 😀. After the Mother's Day presentations, Pastor Pat Creed read Henry and my's wedding announcement, a surprise to the entire church. We set the date for July 16, 1983. Betsy and Wayne married on December 17, 1983.
We kept in touch through the years sending each other photos of our children. We got to meet her again in 2015 on our last furlough driving through Missouri. Wayne was not there as he got a call that his sister was sick, so he went to see her. It was a sheer pleasure to have known Betsy and Wayne. May God bless their family.
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| Betsy and Wayne notice how similar these photos are? |
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| Celeste and Henry |
