Betsy Lee Johnson

Betsy Lee Johnson

July 23, 1942 - September 15, 2024

On Sunday, September 15, 2024, Betsy “Bubbie” Johnson passed away peacefully at the age of 82 thus completing an extraordinary life and leaving an undeniable legacy of friendship, kindness and love. 

Betsy was born on July 23, 1942 at Fort Bragg Army Hospital in Fayetteville, NC. She was born into a military family which played a key role in her childhood experiences and memories. She moved with her father, Ernest Waymon Lee, mother, Annie Lou Lee and brother Robert “Bobby” A. Lee, to Germany in 1953, traveling by ship across the Atlantic Ocean creating an experience she would never forget. During her time there, she became fluent in German and had the opportunity to meet many different people from around the world which helped shape her into the special person she became in life. 

It was while Betsy’s brother, Bobby, was recovering from a car accident at Ft Bragg Hospital that she met a young Army medic from Georgia named Mike Johnson. Little did she know that his offer to check her blood pressure would turn into a 54-year love story and marriage. Betsy would soon be the proud mother of twin boys, Michael and Keith. There is no doubt her boys tested every bit of her patience for the remainder of her life, but she handled it with grace, charm, love and a lot of humor. 

When the family moved to Arkansas, Betsy welcomed her final child into the world with the birth of a daughter, Amy. It was during the years in Arkansas that Betsy developed her love of plants. She read a book given to her by a friend on house plants and so began the journey that led eventually to her own business, Betsy’s Plant Place. While in Arkansas, Betsy also enjoyed tennis and bowling while volunteering in numerous civic organizations and being the ”Team Mom” for her children and all their friends. That is who she was. 

Another family move to Long Beach, MS introduced Betsy to the Cajun and Old South lifestyle, and led to the final family move to Asheboro, NC in 1987. It was here that Betsy became her best. After 17 years at the NC Zoo and 10 years at RCC, she had made a countless number of friends that she called family and had an indelible impact on so many lives. These were the best times of her life. 

Betsy is preceded in death by her husband Mike, her parents Waymon and Annie Lou and her brother and sister in-law Bobby and Lee. They are all together again. Bubbie is loved and will be missed every day by her son Michael and his family, Julie, Jason, Annie, Callie and Annie, son Keith and his family, Melinda, George, Ashten and Sidney, and daughter Amy and her family Andrew and Gus. 

A sincere thank you to Brookdale, Terra Bella and Hospice of Randolph County for their tremendous care and support throughout Betsy’s final journey.

A Celebration of Life for Betsy will be held at Pugh Funeral Home on Saturday, Sept 28th at 11am. Flowers are appreciated or please consider a donation to Hospice of Randolph County.