Betty Lanora Dawson Kerley, 92, of Chattanooga, TN, passed away July 18, 2024. She was a devout Christian, member of Mile Straight Baptist Church and the Ladies Class, loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Betty graduated from Kirkman High School. She then worked for Cutter Laboratories and Memorial Hospital. Betty was an expert seamstress and embroidering; which she gave away as gifts to everyone she knew. She loved to sing and also visited nursing homes to entertain the residents. Betty was also the family historian and would share the lineage of the entire family. Lastly, her joy was for getting together with the family for family reunions. Betty will be missed by all who knew and loved her.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Robert Young Dawson and Lanora Henry Dawson, husbands, Jesse Newton Kerley Jr. and Virgil A. Varnes, son Robert Bernard Kerley and Jesse Newton Kerley III and brother, George Alder Dawson and Robert Henry Dawson and sister, Ann Maddox.

Betty is survived by her children, Katrina (Gary) Dantzler, sister, Geraldine Patterson and Hilda (Jack) Williams, daughter-in-law, Anne Kerley, grandchildren, Matthew Kerley, Amy Kerley, Jesse Kerley IV (Kat), Paul Spilko (Shannon), Robert Spilko, Chrissy (Sabitino) Cupelli, Stacey (Scott) Bales, Dawn Stover, great-grandchildren, Harrison, Miranda and Connor Spilko, Mellissa Paradis and Faith Stover, Cheyenne (Matt) Green and Summer Essex, Austin and Thomas Bales and host of nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held at Hamilton Funeral Home Tuesday, July 23, 2024 from 4pm until 7pm. Visitation will continue on Wednesday, July 24, 2024 10am until funeral Service time at 11am. Committal service will follow at Lakewood Memory Gardens East.