Obituaries

Mrs. Betty Lou Gillespie Young (rescheduled)

Mrs. Betty Lou Gillespie Young, 85, of South Hill, VA passed away peacefully in her residence on January 22, 2025. She was the only child of John “Jack” Marvin Gillespie of White Sulphur Springs, WVA and Mary Elizabeth Feamster Gillespie of Lewisburg, WVA.

Betty was born in Ronceverte, West Virginia on June 14, 1939, and grew up in White Sulphur Springs, WVA. She attended the local public schools, attended Emmanuel United Methodist Church, loved her family and friends, participated in dance lessons during her youth, played saxophone in the high school band, graduated from White Sulphur Springs High School, and learned how to swim from Swedish Champion and Olympic swimmer Charles Norelius at the Greenbrier Hotel.

Betty attended and earned an associate’s degree at National Business College in Roanoke, VA. She then moved to Richmond, VA to live with three dear friends in a boarding house and worked for the State Board of Education for the Commonwealth of Virginia. While living and working in Richmond, Betty met her husband and soulmate of 64 years, Charles Douglas Young, of Baskerville, VA on a blind, double date!

After becoming a mother and working various administrative jobs, Betty attended Virginia Commonwealth University and earned a teaching degree. She taught her first year of school in 1974 as a reading teacher at Goochland Elementary School in Goochland County. In 1975, Betty began teaching 5th grade at R.C. Longan Elementary School located in Henrico County and taught there for 27 years.

While living in Richmond, Betty was an active member of Skipwith United Methodist Church where she attended services each week, sang in the choir, participated in adult Sunday school classes, enjoyed Bible studies, and was active in the United Methodist Women’s circle. Betty also spent many years square dancing with her favorite partner and husband Charles where they danced, socialized, and looked remarkable in their matching square dance costumes!

Betty retired to South Hill, VA with her husband Charles in 2001. She made regular trips to Richmond to visit family and longtime friends, and to attend monthly lunches with her retired teacher friends. Betty enjoyed traveling with her husband and children and her favorite places to visit were Nags Head, NC and Virginia Beach, VA. In South Hill, Betty was an active member of South Hill United Methodist Church. She participated in the United Methodist Women’s circle and always enjoyed Bible study. Betty was grateful to belong to a rug hooking group where she learned how to create works of art from strips of wool and made friends in southern Virginia and northern North Carolina.

Survivors include her husband Charles Douglas Young of South Hill, VA; her son John “Doug” Douglas Young of Richmond; her daughter Debra “Debbie” Young Barbuto, and her husband Nathan Barbuto, Jr. of Richmond; and three granddaughters Ashlee, Rachel, and Rosalina Barbuto all of Richmond.

A Memorial Service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 1, 2025 at South Hill United Methodist Church, 105 Franklin St., South Hill, VA 23970. The family will host a light reception in the fellowship hall immediately after the service. Expressions of sympathy may be made in memory of Betty Gillespie Young to the South Hill United Methodist Church, 105 Franklin St., South Hill, VA 23970.