Betty Jo Holton

Some people make their mark on the world in loud and noticeable ways. Others do it quietly—in the way they love their family, the kindness they show to others, the faith they live each day, and the peace they bring into a room.

Betty Jo Gaskins Holton was one of those people.

Betty Jo, born May 31, 1941, passed peacefully at her home on September 5, 2026, leaving behind a beautiful legacy of faith, family, kindness, and a love story that spanned more than six decades.

Raised in the Antioch community, Betty Jo was the daughter of George and Bertha Gaskins, who farmed there and raised their family among the familiar fields, churches, and neighbors that made Antioch home. She attended Antioch Free Will Baptist Church from an early age, and the church remained near and dear to her heart throughout her life.

After graduating from New Bern High School in 1959, Betty Jo soon began the chapter that would become one of the great joys of her life. On May 7, 1960, she married her grammar school sweetheart, Dallas Holton, Jr.
For 65 years, Dallas and Betty Jo shared life together—the ordinary days and the unforgettable ones, the joys and the heartaches, the raising of a family, and all the little moments in between that eventually become the story of a lifetime.

Dallas affectionately called Betty Jo “his little angel” and “the best thing that ever happened to him.” After 65 years together, perhaps there could be no more beautiful description of what she meant to him.

Betty Jo was a devoted wife and mother who loved her family deeply. She was supportive and dependable, always wanting the very best for the people she loved. Family time mattered to her, whether it involved something special or simply the comfort of being together.

She also knew how to appreciate life’s quieter gifts. Betty Jo loved spending time on the Bay River, where one of her favorite things was sitting on the swing and watching the sun slowly disappear over the water. It was a simple pleasure that suited her well—peaceful, beautiful, and unhurried.
Those who knew Betty Jo remember a woman who was quiet and soft-spoken, graceful and peaceful. She did not need to be the center of attention. Her goodness spoke for itself.
Betty Jo treated people kindly. She never wanted to speak badly of anyone and always hoped for the best for others. There was a gentleness about her that made people feel comfortable in her presence. Simply put, Betty Jo was easy to love.
Her faith was an important part of who she was. Betty Jo spent many hours studying her Bible and reading devotions, nurturing a faith that was not merely something she talked about, but something she quietly lived.

Through the years, she served the Lord and her church in many ways. She taught Sunday School, faithfully helped with Vacation Bible School, and shared her musical gifts as a backup pianist at Antioch Free Will Baptist Church. Whether teaching children, helping wherever she was needed, or sitting at the piano, Betty Jo served without needing recognition or praise.
She also worked for many years with the Social Security Administration, bringing the same steady and conscientious spirit to her work that characterized so many other areas of her life.

But more than any position she held or task she completed, Betty Jo’s greatest work was found in the life she built and the people she loved.
She was a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a great-grandmother, a sister, a friend, and a woman of faith. She understood that a meaningful life does not have to be a loud one. Sometimes the most beautiful lives are built quietly—one prayer, one kindness, one encouraging word, one faithful day, and one sunset at a time.

Betty Jo is survived by her beloved husband of 65 years, Dallas Holton, Jr.; her son, Bart Holton and wife, Tina; grandchildren, Noah Holton and wife, Lana, Jenna Holton, Brennon Harrison, and Chelsea Harrison; great-grandchildren, Elizabeth and Bayleigh; and her sister, Sonja Provencal.
She was preceded in death by her parents, George and Bertha Gaskins; her daughter, Lynnette Harrison; and her brother, Curtis Gaskins.

The family will receive friends just prior to the funeral service from 10:00 to 10:50 a.m. on Thursday, September 10, 2026, at Antioch Free Will Baptist Church. The funeral service will begin at 11:00 a.m. at the church, with Pastors Jay Tyree and Mike Ledbetter officiating. Betty Jo will then be laid to rest at Greenleaf Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Betty Jo’s memory to Antioch Free Will Baptist Church.

For those who loved Betty Jo, there will certainly be an emptiness in the places where her quiet presence was once taken for granted. There will be memories attached to Antioch, to church pews and piano keys, to family gatherings, and especially to those peaceful evenings on the Bay River when the sky turned beautiful and Betty Jo sat watching the sunset from the swing.

But perhaps a sunset is a fitting picture for a life such as hers. It does not have to make a sound to be beautiful. It simply leaves its warmth and its light behind.

That is what Betty Jo did.

She loved faithfully. She served quietly. She treated people kindly. She treasured her family. She walked in faith. And for 65 remarkable years, she shared a love with Dallas that began when they were still children and endured through nearly an entire lifetime.

Dallas called her his little angel and the best thing that ever happened to him.

And for everyone blessed to know Betty Jo, there is comfort in knowing that while her gentle presence will be deeply missed, the love she gave so freely remains—in her family, in her church, in countless memories, and in the lives made better simply because Betty Jo was part of them.

Bennett Funeral & Cremation Care is honored to serve the family and friends of Betty Jo Holton.