Bettie "Betsy" Herlong Colquett

Bettie Herlong “Betsy” Colquett, beloved mother, and Bibbie to her grandchildren, passed away on Thursday, July 14, 2022. Funeral services will be on Sunday, July 17, 2022, at Green Hills Funeral Home with visitation beginning at 1:00pm.  A memorial service will be at 3:00pm with her former dance students as well as the sisters of the Delta Delta chapter of Kappa Delta Sorority from its founding to 1997 serving as honorary pallbearers. Dusty Taylor and Jason Reeves officiating.

Betsy, a native of Troy, attended Birmingham Southern College where she pledged Kappa Delta Sorority, and attended The University of Alabama before returning to Troy to live out her dream of teaching dance. She owned and operated Betsy Colquett School of Dance for 45 years, teaching and sharing her love of dance to thousands of students. She was instrumental in founding the Delta Delta Chapter of Kappa Delta on the campus of Troy University and she served in an advisory role until 1997.

She loved spending time with her family at the beach, at dance competitions, baseball fields, and weekly Sunday dinners. Having lunch at Sister’s with friends was a weekly ritual and she enjoyed her Lunch Bunch group as well. She was an amazing, strong, and graceful Southern lady who loved fiercely and completely.

During these first few days without her here, we have been looking through all the pictures and going through every note or letter that we have from her. Her granddaughter Lacey kept going back to the latest one she had received, which was a note from her wedding. Her Bibbie wrote out an acronym describing the qualities that Bibbie loved about her.  As Lacey reflected through the memories, she thought of acronyms for each of the grandchildren, ones she knew that Bibbie would have written herself. Starting with the one Bibbie wrote Lacey, followed by the ones Lacey wrote on behalf of Bibbie:

“My Lacey”

Love you have brought into my heart  

Answered all my prayers

Cherish you forever

Excellent in everything you do

You are my heart and soul

“My Will”
Wonderful in all that you have done
Intentional love for everyone you care about
Loved you with her whole heart
Laugh that makes everyone smile and fills me with joy

“My Drew”
Driven and determined to succeed
Really, really proud of you every day
Everyone’s sweetheart and especially mine
Willing to help whenever needed

“My Walker”
Whatever you desire, I will support you
Always thinking of others first
Loyal to all that you love
Kindness overflowing in all that you do
Eager to reach for the stars
Reliable and respectful- two favorite qualities

“My Ben”
Better because of you
Energetic smile when you enter the room
Noteworthy for making everyone laugh

“My Kate”
Know I am always with you
Always in my heart
The one to make me smile
Exactly what we all needed

Our Bibbie loved and she loved hard, especially her grandchildren, and if you were lucky enough to be loved by her, you knew it and you felt it each and every day. She never said, “I love you too” it was always “I love you more” and she meant it with all that she had.

Loving survivors include her daughters, Elizabeth Stallworth (Brett), Elly Reeves (Jason); grandchildren, Lacey Ingram (Austin), Will Reeves, Drew Reeves, Walker Stallworth, Ben Reeves, and Kate Reeves; brother-in-law, Barney Burnett; niece, Traci Burnett Dailey; nephew Tully Burnett; and special friend, devoted caretaker, and cherished member of the family, L.A. Leverette.  She was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Betty Herlong, and her sister, Eleanor Burnett. 

The family would like to extend their gratitude to Brenda Green, a devoted caretaker for many years; Frances McLendon, and Carolyn Knight who gave up their evenings to care for her during this time.