Betty Dodson

Betty Joyce Dodson of Woolmarket MS passed away peacefully in her sleep January 23, 2023 after a long convalescence following a stroke, one month shy of her 89^th birthday.

Betty Joyce Hollida was born to Frances Teague Hollida and Charles Rodney Hollida February 23, 1934 in Moscow TN. Betty attended school in White Haven TN.

In 1951, Betty married William (Bill) H. Dodson, Jr.; they had two daughters, Sharon Lynn Dodson and Nina Gayle Dodson. Betty and Bill divorced, each remarrying and starting new families. Betty married James (Jim) A. Parrish in 1962; they had two children together: Christopher Louis Parrish and Melissa Dell Parrish. Betty and Jim eventually divorced. In 1999, Betty and Bill reconnected at their grandson’s wedding, remarrying that same year. This marriage brought together three families, blending the children of their first marriage and each other’s respective second marriages. This union lasted until Bill’s death in 2003. No additional children resulted from this marriage. After Bill’s death, Betty moved to Biloxi, MS to be closer to her sisters. During the COVID pandemic, Betty moved into her younger sister Sandy’s home, along with youngest sister Vicki. It was during this time, in October of 2020, at the age of 86, Betty suffered a stroke. The stroke, along with various ailments associated with advanced age, ultimately led to Betty’s continued decline and ultimate death.

Betty had a great love of life and for family. She loved to dance, even teaching line-dancing at the senior centers she attended. She loved to travel, loved music (Betty played the drums in her high school band), loved listening to the many singers and musicians in her family. Betty loved to crochet. She especially like to make baby blankets, and had plenty of opportunity with her ever-growing family. When she finally ran out of family members to make the baby blankets for, she started making them for their pets. How many cats and dogs have their own personalized, hand-crocheted blankets? Betty loved watching the Atlanta Braves play baseball. Her favorite players were Ozzie Albies and Dansby Swanson, who she called Cutie Pie.

She also enjoyed watching her great-nephew Hayden Leatherwood play baseball for Ole Miss. Betty loved to read, do crossword puzzles, and jigsaw puzzles on her iPad. She could tell you the plot of every Hallmark movie ever made. Above all else, Betty loved her family. She remained close to all her sisters her entire life. As the eldest daughter, she even helped raise a few of them. Nieces and nephews, great-nieces and nephews, and even a great-great niece, Betty loved them all and they loved their Aunt Betty. In-laws and out-laws, siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles, kith and kin. Everyone in Betty’s orbit enjoyed her wit and humor, her good nature. And most of all, Betty loved her children. The children she bore, and the children brought to her through her marriages, Betty loved them all. When these children grew up and married, Betty loved their spouses, and especially loved her grandchildren. This is why we are celebrating Betty’s life instead of mourning her death.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents, Frances Ivy (Joseph, dec.) and Rodney Hollida; both spouses, Bill Dodson and Jim Parrish; her siblings, Bobby Hollida, David Ivy, Troy Ivy, Roy Ivy, and Nina Hollida Leatherwood (John, dec.).

Betty is survived by her sisters, Marianne Hollida Thomas (David), Sandra Hollida Peterson (David, dec.), Vicki Hollida Hudson (David, dec.); her children Sharon Dodson Berner, Nina Dodson Mravlja (Andrew), Christopher Parrish, Melissa Parrish Zumbro (David); her step-children Diane Dodson Pratt (William, dec.), Cynthia Dodson Morgan (Wade), Brenda Dodson Holliman. William (Pete) H. Dodson III’s death preceded the remarriage of Betty and Bill. Grandchildren Jennifer Sowell Duplantis (Michael), Bryan (Kirk) Walker (Kelly), Andrea Mravlja Rehm (Aaron), Ashley Mravlja Corley (Lee), Daniel Sain, Kaitlyn Zumbro, Zaden Zumbro, Hailey Parrish, Pary Rezai, Whitney Pratt (Roberta), Hanna Pratt Chappa (Nick), Caley Holliman, Natasha Holliman Davis; great-grandchildren Kevin Duplantis, Kyle Duplantis, Keith Duplantis, Brooke Walker, Brianna Walker, Baby Boy Zumbro Skinner, Araelia (Rae) Corley, Olivia Hart, Amaris Hart, William Pratt, Baby Girl Chappa, Gabriel Holliman, Amber Davis.

Betty also leaves behind several generations of nieces and nephews.