October 21, 1929 - June 24, 2024
Betty Joann Galyen Richards, age 94 of Statesboro, Ga passed away June 24th 2024 at Ogeechee Area Hospice following a brief illness. She was born Oct. 21, 1929 in Georgetown, Illinois to Claude and Permilia Canady Galyen, the youngest of 8 children. She married Russell Gene Richards Sept. 21, 1947. Russell, her devoted husband of 59 years, passed March 9, 2006.
Together Betty and Russell had six children. Linda (John) Stark of Dover Tn., John Richards of Statesboro, Ga., Gordon (Jan) Richards (passed May 9, 1989), Jeff (Jenell) Richards of Roland Ark., Barbara (Dwayne) Conner of Statesboro, and Debra (Michael) Collier of Jacksonville, Fl. They have 14 grandchildren. John (Rachael) Start Jr., Jason (Melanie) Stark, Janet (Brian) Pettice, Jeremy (Jamie) Richards, Jacob (Ashley) Richards, Paul (Amanda) Richards, Russell (Amanda) Richards, Benjamin (Sheena) Richards, Rachel (Jason ) Hamilton, Ashley (Chesley) Thompson, Thomas (Meghan) Collier, James (Morgan) Conner, Joshua (Amanda) Collier, Seth (Raeleigh) Conner, 36 Great Grandchildren, 6 Great Great Grandchildren, with one on the way, as well as countless nieces and nephews.
Betty was a 1947 graduate of Georgetown High School. She and Russell resided for many years in Georgetown working and serving in the community and at the 1st Church of Christ in Georgetown. Their Christian faith was a strong and steady foundation for the entire family.
In 1973 they decided to make some career changes that took them from Illinois to Arkansas, to Ohio and finally Georgia where they worked and finished raising their family.
Betty worked in the Registrar’s Office at Georgia Southern as the head file clerk. Even after retirement she would return to help process and lineup graduates. She and Russell were true blue Eagle Fans, even attending the “Hugo Bowl” in 1989 to celebrate their 42nd wedding anniversary. For many years Betty and Russell worked out of their home running Richards Chair Weaving a craft handed down from her father. Betty loved puzzles, reading and writing in her journals and studying her Bible daily.
Betty was preceded in death by her husband Russell, son Gordon and great grandson James Michael Miller.
Services will be Friday, June 28th at Joiner Anderson Funeral Home. The family will receive visitors from 12:00 until 2:00pm with the funeral service at 2:00pm in the funeral home chapel with Pastor Chris Holden officiating.
Entombment will be at Bulloch Memorial Gardens in the mausoleum.
Pallbearers will be grandsons, Jason Stark, Jeremy Richards, Thomas Collier, James Conner Joshua Collier and Seth Conner.
The family requests in lieu of flowers that memorial contributions be made to Ogeechee Area Hospice, PO Box 531, Statesboro, GA 30459.
Friends may sign the online register book at www.joineranderson.com
Joiner-Anderson Funeral Home & Crematory of Statesboro is in charge of arrangements.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Betty, please visit our floral store.
