Obituary of Frances Bettinger Neeley

A funeral service celebrating the life of Frances Bettinger Neeley, 71, of Columbia will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, June 7, 2014 at Thompson Funeral Home Chapel at Greenlawn Memorial Park, 845 Leesburg Road, Columbia, SC 29209 with Reverend Shay Long officiating. Interment will follow in Greenlawn Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Friday evening at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Mill Creek Methodist Church, 1041 Old Garners Ferry Road, Columbia, SC 29209 in Frances' memory. On-line condolences may be sent to www.Thompsonsfuneral.com. After a courageous battle with cancer, Frances passed away on Tuesday, June 3, 2014. Mrs. Neeley was born on February 16, 1943 to Worden W. Bettinger and Grace Montgomery Bettinger and she was a native of Richland County, SC being raised in the Lower Richland area. She graduated from Lower Richland High School in 1961. As a member of Mill Creek Methodist Church, she served as past president of the United Methodist Women and she was also a member of the Friendship Circle. Mrs. Neeley retired as a manager with Bellsouth after 37 years of dedicated service and after retirement she was active in bowling leagues at Fort Jackson and served as a bowling secretary of one league. She married her fellow classmate, Jimmy Neeley on July 18, 1964. They would have had 50 years of marriage soon. Mrs. Neeley was a kindhearted, thoughtful woman who loved her family wholeheartedly and lovingly cared for them. Mrs. Neeley was predeceased by her parents, and a brother, Robert L. Bettinger. Those left to cherish her beautiful memories are her husband, Jimmy H. Neeley; two sons, Bryan (Lolita) Neeley of Lexington, SC and Justin Neeley of Charleston, SC; two grandsons, Brett and Logan; her sister, Debbie (Roy) Backman of Prosperity, SC; nieces, nephews, and a host of other loving relatives and friends that will greatly miss her.