Betty Thompson

Betty Goodrich Thompson, 77, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, June 26, 2019 after a courageous battle with stomach cancer.  A Christmas Eve baby, she was born in 1941 to the late George Willard and Elizabeth Harris Goodrich in Petersburg, VA.  She grew up in the little town of Dendron in Surry County where she was a member of the Dendron United Methodist Church.  She was the salutatorian of the Surry High School class of 1960 and was a graduate of Smithdeal- Massey Business School.  Betty married Hugh E. Jarratt, Jr. in 1961, but lost him in a tragic boating accident in 1973.  They had two daughters, Sandy and Kathy.  In 1976 she married Les Thompson.  She worked tirelessly as a teacher's aide at North Elementary School in Colonial Heights for 30 years.  Betty loved to travel and was an avid New York Yankees baseball fan since she was in high school.  If she could not watch the games when they were on TV, you can bet they were being recorded for later viewing.  The ultimate Grandma, Betty dearly loved her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She always attended their events, even after her cancer diagnosis.  She was vigilant about having their pictures taken for every occasion.  These pictures were dated and placed lovingly in a book about each child. Betty was predeceased by her daughter, Sandra Jarratt Rawlings.  She is survived by her husband, Leslie C. Thompson of Colonial Heights; daughter, Katherine Zevgolis (Rodney); step-children, Tracy and Gail; grandchildren, Alan (Alyssa), Heather (David), Amanda, and Beth; great grand-children, Kyleigh, Austin, Sawyer, Aviana, Kaleb, Kaiden, Asher, Leo, and Lucas; and her sisters, Norma Goodrich Roach (Bill) and Joanie Goodrich Berryman (Mac) both of Surry County; as well as several nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews. A service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, June 29, 2019 at the Colonial Heights Chapel of the E. Alvin Small Funeral Homes & Crematory, 2033 Boulevard, Colonial Heights, Virginia 23834, with visitation being held prior to the service from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the funeral home.   Interment will be private.  In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the St. Jude Cancer Research Foundation, 501 St Jude Place, Memphis, Tennessee 38105.  Condolences may be registered at www.ealvinsmall.com.