Martha “Bettye” Elizabeth Rodgers

On September 4, 2023, Martha Elizabeth “Bettye” Rodgers, 87 years and 25 days old, passed peacefully to Heaven in her sleep at Covenant Manor in Fayetteville, TN, after battling leukemia for over 6 months.  Bettye was born on August 11, 1936, in Nashville, TN, in the home of her parents, Thomas Haskell and Evelyn Lee (Bishop) Lunday.

Bettye loved children, and this love was evident in her many years of work as a childcare specialist and educator.  She took classes at night thru Tennessee State University and earned credentials in Early Childhood Education and Child Development as well.  She learned all she could to better teach youngsters and give them a positive experience during the learning process.  She was well loved and fondly called “Miss Bettye” by so many of those children that she considered as her own.  She taught for 12 years at The Temple in Belle Meade and retired after teaching for several years at Goose and Gander in Pegram.

Bettye loved to travel and made many trips throughout the US and to Europe to visit family there.  In later life, she traveled with her Sisters of the Traveling Pants and her children to so many different locations and enjoyed every minute and sight that she saw.  There was no place that she did not want to see and was ready to travel at nearly a moment’s notice – she always seemed to have a bag packed, actually several, and sitting next to the door.  She loved to marvel at the sights and sounds of so many different places and looked for a new adventure wherever she might find herself. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, daughter, Mary Jo Long, son, Raymond Clevenger, sisters Bobbie Lunday Hall and Evelyn Lunday Jackson, and two grandchildren.

Bettye is survived by sons Barry Clevenger and Robert Clevenger and daughter April Clevenger Goss.  She was given an even greater gift of 16 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great-grandchildren.

Bettye was a Christian and loved the Lord with all her heart and mind.  Bettye also loved her country and proudly displayed flags and the red, white, and blue. 

                Memorial services for Bettye will be on Tuesday, September 12 at 1:00 PM at West Harpeth Funeral Home at 6962 Charlotte Pike in Nashville with internment at Bluff View Cemetery in Kingston Springs immediately after the service.  Visitation will be prior to the service at 12:30 PM at the funeral home.