Betty Monk Rhea

Betty Monk Rhea, 86, of Newnan, GA passed away December 1, 2023. She was born March 13, 1937 in Augusta, GA to the late Robert S. Monk and Helen Chavous Monk. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, John Rhea. Betty came into this world a fighter and left the same way. When she was born in 1937, weighing only 2 pounds, the doctors did not give her parents much hope. They wrapped her in a cotton blanket and put her under a lamp to keep warm. Five months later, weighing five pounds, she was able to go home. It was such a joyous occasion that the Augusta newspaper did a story about little Betty going home. Betty met her husband John, in church, while he was stationed at Fort Gordon. They married in 1962, and proceeded to have three daughters. John's work had the family living in Virginia, Illinois, New York, New Hampshire and finally back to Georgia. Betty loved traveling and was able to visit many states and countries as she joined John on business trips. Her favorite place to visit was London, England. After retirement, they continued their passion for travel with many road trips. Prior to marriage, Betty was a skilled bookkeeper in a bank. The skills she mastered carried over to keeping meticulous records, and a budget for the household. She was a savvy shopper, known to scope out the grocery advertisements to clip coupons. All the deals were tallied and Betty would visit multiple grocery stores on her weekly shopping day. At one point, Betty earned her real estate license. She was so very proud because she served as the buyer's and seller's agent on the sale of one home, her own, earning her all the commission! Careful management of finances allowed John and Betty to provide their girls and grandchildren many enrichment activities, and family trips across the country. Betty was an expert at navigation, mapping out the most scenic routes to travel. Outside of keeping a household, Betty enjoyed crossword puzzles, reading the newspaper, and watching shows such as Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune. If you were Betty's friend, you frequently went out to lunch with her and she never forgot your birthday. Another known fact about Betty was her affection for baseball and the Atlanta Braves. When home, she never missed a game. If traveling, the game was on the radio. A game schedule with scores was always posted in her kitchen. One of the great memories in her life was catching a home run ball at Turner Field! Weeks following this miraculous event, she was recognized by total strangers as the woman they saw on TV! Betty was a longtime, active member of Cornerstone United Methodist Church in Newnan. A few of her favorite activities were selling tickets at the yearly BBQ and helping with the Christmas Drive-Thru Nativity. The memorial service is Friday, December 8, 2023 at 4:00 p.m. at Cornerstone United Methodist Church with Rev. Dr. Brian Germano officiating. The family will greet friends at the church prior to the service from 2:00 to 4:00. There will be a private interment at Oak Hill Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Cornerstone United Methodist Church, 2956 Sharpsburg McCollum Rd, Newnan, GA 30265. Betty loved snowmen at Christmastime. Feel free to wear your favorite snowman attire to the service. Survivors include daughters, Debbie (Rick) Watton, Bobbi (Charles) Deling, Christy (Brian) Epperson; grandchildren, Kelly Watton, Kyle Watton, Dylan Lannen, Austin (Kelly) Lannen, and Autumn (Anthony) Brady; great-grandchildren, Mason Lannen; Willow, Leigha, and Clover Brady; step brother Daily Monk. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.mckoon.com. McKoon Funeral Home & Crematory 770-253-4580

Betty Monk Rhea

March 13, 1937 - December 1, 2023