Betty Claire Coward Harvison
Augusta, GA- Betty Claire Coward Harvison entered into rest on Monday, May 25, 2020 at her residence.
A celebration of her life will be held at a later date.
Betty was born on June 12, 1940 in Augusta, GA to Joe and Lucy Coward. She attended and graduated from Richmond County Schools.
Betty met the love of her life, Tommy in 1958 at a local drive-in, which was the “hot spot” of that time and were married shortly after. Our parents had 3 children, Julie, Mark and Robyn. We were blessed with the most wonderful and loving parents you could imagine; our childhood memories are full of fun times spent together, whether it be at home doing nothing, going with Daddy fishing in the trout streams of the Great Smokey Mountains, or in salt water, we were a family. We were raised to be honest and hardworking adults. Our Daddy passed in 1988, which devastated us all, especially Mother, but we picked up the pieces and carried on with our lives, just as he would want. When we met obstacles, Mother was always there for us, no matter what they may be.
Mother was known for her beautiful ceramics and won several blue ribbons at the fair for them. She also sold ceramics to supplement her income. Her jobs always seemed to include a typewriter, she was typing 120 words a minute when she was forced to retire in 2014, to have much needed back surgery. We almost lost Mother following this surgery, but she made her way back after numerous months of hospitalization and rehab. She always said that if not for her doctor, good friend (and second son) Dr. J. Allen Goodrich she never would have made it back; we thank Dr. Goodrich for all his love and support but especially for giving us 6 more years with Mother.
Mother had been hospitalized for almost a month when she was told nothing else could be done, that her heart was failing. When asked what she wanted to do, she asked to come home. We’d like to thank the staff from Regency Hospice for all of their kindness, from the young man that delivered the oxygen machine, to the young man that delivered the bed (and gave us a much needed laugh), to all nurses, especially Jill, we thank you for taking such good care of Mother. She passed away peacefully with her daughters by her side. In addition to her children she is survived by a sister Connie Cope, her brother Joe Coward, Taylor Moore, Granddaughter, and Nolan Welsh, Great Grandson, along with a host of family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her sister, Carolyn Morris.
At mother’s request there will be no services. She will be cremated, and her ashes will be spread in a trout stream in North Carolina, where our Daddy’s ashes were spread. Knowing that after almost 32 years apart, our parents are together again is heartwarming.
Chance & Hydrick Funeral Directors, 2502 Richmond Hill Road, Augusta, GA, 30906.