Mrs. Betty Jean Kerley Kistler, 94, of Granite Falls passed from her earthly home into the loving arms of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ on Saturday, October 5, 2024 at Frye Regional Medical Center following a short period of declining health.
Mrs. Kistler, was born January 27, 1930 in Caldwell County to the late Fennie Marce Kerley and Mattie Mae Starnes Kerley. She was an active member of Grace Chapel Global Methodist Church, serving faithfully in the women’s ministries of the Women of Grace, the United Methodist Women, and the Women’s Society of Christian Service going back to 1968. In 2019 she was awarded the Laity Service Award of the Year for the Appalachian District UMC/Grace Chapel United Methodist Church. Always showing up for Sunday School, she served as Sunday School Superintendent for several terms and also served in other church leadership areas. Previously she sang in the choir and participated in Epiphany Prison Ministry, a youth prison ministry, at Foothills Correctional Institution of Burke County. The boys in the prison were quick to call her “Granny” shortly after meeting her. She would say about her “Stars”, as she called her boys, “They just need to be loved!” She served on the team and sponsored many pilgrims in the spiritual leadership retreat, Walk to Emmaus and behind the scene, she supported the Kairos and Forgiven prison ministries because her children were involved in serving in these ministries.
Betty Jean was a beloved wife, mom, nanny, auntie and devoted friend. She was a homemaker and a sewer, serving as supervisor at Hickory Knitting Mills. She worked along side her husband, as secretary and “girl Friday” in their family business, Kistler Grading. In retirement, she and her husband served the tri-county area with their horse and carriage business, doing weddings, anniversaries, special church and school events, etc. On their farm, along with the horses, they had cows, pigs, chickens and gardens, so she was also a farmer. For fun, she loved to travel especially to the mountains. Her hobbies were quilting, knitting, reading, and jigsaw puzzles. She loved to dance, any kind of dance, ballroom, cha-cha, flatfoot clogging and Western Swing square dancing with the Hickory Not Squares.
In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her husband, J.R. “Bud” Kistler; and two sisters, Vera McCall, and Rena Kiziah.
Those left to cherish her memory include her children, Margo Bowman of Granite Falls, Lester Kistler and wife Lynne of Granite Falls, and Phil Kistler and wife Kim of Irmo, SC; special niece, Vickie McArthur and husband Robert; grandchildren, Jason Bowman and wife Candy, Daniell Setzer and husband Monty, Tyler Kistler and wife Brittany, Leslee Aun and husband Stephen, Caroline Kistler and husband Josh, and special great niece, Kerry Harris and husband Terry; great grandchildren, Ethan Setzer, Elias Aun, and Stella Aun; and sister-in-law, Sue Kistler; many nieces and nephews and lovingly known as “Mama Jean”, to her extended church family, extended family and numerous friends.
A funeral service will be held 4:00PM Friday, October 11, 2024 at Grace Chapel Global Methodist Church with the Rev. Phillip Hefner officiating.
Interment will follow in the Grace Chapel Global Methodist Church Cemetery.
The family will receive friends prior to the service on Friday, from 3:00PM to 4:00PM at Grace Chapel Global Methodist Church, 4336 Grace Chapel Rd, Granite Falls, NC 28630
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Grace Chapel Global Methodist Church.
An online guestbook and obituary are available at www.mackiefh.com
Mackie Funeral Service and Cremations is assisting the family.