Obituary of Betsy Grandstaff

Funeral services for Betsy Dale Grandstaff, 70, Arp, will be at 1:00 p.m., Thursday, February 11, 2010 at the First United Methodist Church, Arp with Reverend David Banks officiating. Burial will be in Pleasant Hill Cemetery under direction of Cottle-Pearson Funeral Home, Overton. Mrs. Grandstaff died Monday, February 8, 2010 in a hospice facility inTyler, after a lengthy illness. She was born in Turnertown on May 8, 1939 to Dale S. "Doc" and Wilma (Matthews) Musick. She graduated from Gaston High School and Tyler Junior College where she was an Apache Belle. She met Buddy G. "Shot" Grandstaff and they married on August 20, 1959. Betsy was well known for teaching twirling, flags, and rifles. Locally she taught at Arp, West Rusk, Chapel Hill, Spring Hill, and Kilgore College. She moved to Houston where she taught School flag corps. She also worked with Special Ed children at Spring Branch I.S.D. After retiring from Cypress-Fairbanks School, she moved back to Arp to be near her son. Betsy also groomed her students and teams for high schools, college tryouts, U.I.L., A.A.V., and U.S.T.A. competitions. She was a judge at many competitions as well as high schools and college tryouts. She was an accomplished pianist and entertained family and friends on her concert grand piano She was preceded in death by her parents, 'Doc" and Wilma Musick of Turnertown. Survivors include her son and his wife, Daren Gale and Krystal Grandstaff, Arp; six grandchildren, Amber G. Keegan, Jacquine Grandstaff, Gunner Grandstaff, Ashton Jett, Colt Grandstaff, and Elissa Petrey; one great grandson Brandon Keegan; a sister and her husband, Kathy and Mike Wood, Tyler; a brother and his wife, Jerry and Carol Musick, Carlsbad, New Mexico; nieces, Jenifer Wood and Leigh Ann M. Dons; and nephews, Randy Musick and Steve Musick. Pallbearers are Bryan Buell, Brad Jones, David Shields, Gunner Grandstaff, Reuben Jones, and Steve Swain. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 pm, Wednesday, February 10.