Betty Talley Craig's Obituary
Betty Talley Craig passed away peacefully on July 27, 2025, in the loving home of her son, David and His wife Maya in Fort Myers, Florida. She was surrounded by family and under the gentle care of hospice during her final days.
Born on May 22, 1943, in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, Betty was the third daughter of George Kinsey Talley and Eunice Elizabeth Talley. She was preceded in death by her two beloved sisters, Sarah Regina Moreland (John Owen Moreland) and June Talley Smiles (Edwin Wagner Smiles).
Betty is survived by her devoted husband of 62 years, Robert Lawrence Craig; and their two children, David Wesley Craig (Maya Craig) and Dawn Craig-Gunn (Leigh Gunn). She was the proud and beloved grandmother to Kinsey Leigh Gunn, Morgan Ackerly Gunn, and Malaya Nisha Craig. Betty is also survived by her niece, Georgia Moreland Allen (Robert Allen); her nephew, John David Moreland; and many great-nieces and great-nephews who adored her deeply.
Betty lived a full and joyful Christ-centered life filled with love, laughter, and dedication to the service of others. Her greatest passion was combing the beach for seashells---each one a small treasure that brought her delight. She cherished time with her family, was a devoted and generous friend to many, and had an uncanny ability to find happiness in life's simple pleasures.
Her favorite foods included softshell crabs, chocolate eclairs, and sweet tea. She had a special fondness for trips to the "Love Boat" ice cream parlor. As a self-professed tom-boy, she played softball, idolized Roy Rogers/Dale Evans, and loved anything having to do with the American West. As a young woman of 19, she began her professional career as a legal secretary at the law firm of Haynes and Miller in Washington, D.C. where she developed friendships that lasted her whole life. She had a successful thirty-year career culminating in her position as human resource Manager at Silverstein and Mullens.
Her retirement was happily spent enjoying restaurant outings, swimming, and socializing at the pool, playing cards with dear friends and family, playing practical jokes, and seeking out the "deal of the century" at local discount stores. A natural caregiver, Betty selflessly dedicated her time to caring for her mother, her sister June, and countless others. Her kindness and compassion were constants in the lives of those who knew her, and her legacy of love and generosity will live on in every heart she touched.
She will be deeply missed and forever remembered.
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