Betty Dunn Singletary, 86, of Blakely, Georgia., died Monday, January 25, 2010. She was born April 2, 1923 in Andalusia, Alabama, the daughter of the late James Gee Dunn and Myrtle Godbold Dunn and stepdaughter of the late Grace Norton Dunn.
Mrs. Singletary graduated from Andalusia High School and received a Bachelor of Music degree from the Univeristy of Montevallo. In 1946, she married A. J. Singletary and moved to Blakely, Georgia.
Throughout her life, Mrs. Singletary pursued her love of music in many ways. During World War II, she was the lead singer for jazz bands performing for the troops at military bases thoughout Alabama. After moving to Blakely, she frequently sang at church and civic functions. Mrs. Singletary served for many years as choir director of First United Methodist Church in Blakely, Georgia and for more than 60 years, she directed the Christmas program presented by the Evelyn Whitchard’s Men’s Bible Class at First United Methodist Church in Blakely. She also directed the Glee Club at Southwest Georgia Academy.
Mrs. Singletary was preceded in death by her husband of 52 years, Andrew Jackson Singletary and her brother, Dr. James Gee Dunn, Jr. She was survived by four children: Andrew Jackson Singletary, Jr. of Atlanta, Georgia; James Stephen Singletary and his wife, Liza Lisenby Singletary of Blakely, Georgia; Jean Singletary Krapfel and her husband Richard William Krapfel of Hickory, North Carolina; and Janet Singletary Thomas and her husband Brent Mason Thomas of Richmond, Virginia; four grandchildren: Carol Singletary Howell and her husband Jay Howell of Leesburg, Georgia; Elizabeth Singletary Morgan of Blakely, Georgia; Sarah Caroline Krapfel, of Charleston, South Carolina; and James Richard Krapfel of Charlotte, North Carolina; and two great-grandchildren: Grace Kathryn Morgan and Andrew James (“AJ”) Howell. She is also survived by her twin brother, Robert Dunn of Seattle, Washington, and by five nieces, as well as a brother-in-law, Raymond Cook Singletary of Blakely, Georgia and a sister-in-law, Emily Singletary Garner of Milledgeville, Georgia and many other relatives.
Mrs. Singletary’s funeral service will be held Thursday, January 28, 2010, at 2:00 p.m. at First United Methodist Church in Blakely, Georgia with interment to follow in the Blakely Cemetery. Rev. Rick Turner and Dr. Rick Lanford will be officiating. Serving as active pallbearers will be Richard Krapfel, James Krapfel, Brent Thomas, Jay Howell, Richard Grist, Jim Whitehead, Franklin Arnold and Charles Robertson. Honorary pallbearers will be the Methodist Men’s Bible Class and the Chancel Choir.
The family will receive friends at Manry-Jordan-Hodges Funeral Home in Blakely, Georgia on Wednesday, January 27, 2010, from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m.
Memorials may be sent either to First United Methodsit Church Building Fund, P. O. Box 265, Blakely, Georgia 39823 or to the Methodist Children’s Home, P. O. Box 2525, Macon, Georgia 31203.