Birth date: Jan 27, 1932 Death date: Jan 6, 2026
Graveside Memorial Service for Mrs. Betty Cooper Etheridge, 93, of Alexander City, will be Monday, January 12, 2026 at 1:00 pm at Garden Hill Cemetery in Opelika, AL. Dr. Bill Etheridge and Rev. Will Etheridge will officiate. Bett Read Obituary
Betty Cooper Etheridge was my father's (Gerald Wayne Cooper, Sr.) first cousin. Daddy was born in Auburn, but grew up in Talladega, his family having moved there when he was an infant, to allow his sister, Billy Jean, to attend the Alabama School for the Deaf as a day student rather than as a resident student. Visits between family in Auburn and in Talladega were infrequent, due to the distance, so we didn't know one another well. But when I moved to Sylacauga for work in 1992, hurting after a traumatic divorce, Betty recognized me when I bought a movie ticket from her at the box office of the theater in Sylacauga. She immediately called me in, hugged me, and introduced me to her husband. She was excited to see a family member, and she invited me to sit with her in church each Sunday, which I did for a long while. She planned a special lunch and invited my mother and I to visit. The food was delicious! Betty was an excellent cook. And she served us lunch on her fine china and crystal. We were guests of honor, and it was so nice to feel so welcomed and included! When they returned home to visit, Betty introduced me to her sons, of whom she was very proud. She was always very kind and gracious to me and was a wonderful example of a Southern lady. As time passed, I became busy with work and my own life, and eventually I moved away from Sylacauga, but Betty and I would cross paths occasionally, and she was always very kind and seemed proud to be related to me. I am grateful for the kindnesses Betty showed me, and the example she set. I am proud to be related to her and am blessed to have known her. May God continue to bless her family.
Betty was the epitome of grace, beauty and style. While working with Betty and the Etheridge family at Martin Theaters, Betty always provided
sincere counseling and exhibited high moral standards. She and Mr. Etheridge exhibited strong values of integrity, hard work and a strong christian faith. Through the years, they provided many valuable lessons in
money management, budgeting, work and family.
