Bettye Olin Sellars Sachs, 78, of Hendersonville, went home to the Lord on Tuesday, December 29, 2009.
Born in Tifton, Ga., she was a homemaker and reared her family in Western North Carolina before working for many years in real estate in Tryon. She later retired to Hendersonville, where she began tireless volunteer work. She was on the executive board of Friends of Santa Claus, planning many memorable summers at Camp Merry Times for terminally ill children. She had no greater joy than serving the Lord, loving her family, being “GiGi” to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and making others smile. She was a member of Trinity Presbyterian Church.
She was preceded in death by parents, Olin Jefferson Sellars and Lillian Marie Hand Sellars; one sister, Lorena McMillan; husbands, Clifford E. Sears, John S. Hawkins, and Herbert I. Sachs; and a stepson, John D. Hawkins.
She is survived by a sister, Mildred Sellars of Hendersonville; and three children, Lucy Sears Seaver, of Hendersonville, Tenn., Susan Sears Griffin and her husband Dennis of Hendersonville, William S. Hawkins and his wife, Karen, of Moore, S.C.; seven grandchildren, William Seaver IV and his wife, Melanie, Michael Seaver and his wife Kristin, Amanda Griffin Berlage and her husband Frank, Laura Griffin Foglia and her husband, Matt, Andrew Griffin, Jessica Watson, Juliana Hawkins; and seven great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, January 2, 2010 at Thos. Shepherds Church Street Chapel, with Rev. Michael Seaver, Rev. Kemuel Pruitt and CLP Joe Gernoske officiating. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to Four-Seasons Compassion for Life, 571 South Allen Rd, Flat Rock, N.C. 28731 or Friends of Santa Claus, in care of Barbara Van Thullenar, 2385 Cross Timber Dr., Mount Pleasant, S.C. 29464, or through their website at FriendsofSantaClaus.org.
Thos. Shepherd & Son Funeral Directors and Cremation Memorial Center is in charge of arrangements. An online register book is available for family and friends by visiting www.thosshepherd.com.