Loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and wife Elizabeth “Betty” Orr passed peacefully on April 25, 2024 at the age of 87.
Lifelong resident of Nashville, born August 28th, 1936, Betty was the first-born of 4 children to Houston and Margaret Mullican. She was a graduate of West End High School, class of 1954, and married her high school sweetheart, Don Ansley, in 1956. Together they raised 2 sons, Bryan and Clay.
Betty was a long-time member of Forest Hills Baptist Church and Woodmont Baptist Church. She was a talented pianist, soloist, and member of the choir at both churches. She was even part of a traveling gospel quartet in the 1970’s.
In the mid-1950’s she went to work for National Life and Accident Insurance/WSM where she worked in the payroll department and befriended many members of the Grand Ole Opry. Once she became a mother it was her priority to spend her days at home raising the boys.
She re-joined the workforce in the mid-1970’s working for Intereal Company as manager the Green Hills Shopping Center. She was later a talented executive secretary to Irby Simpkins, John Jay Hooker, and Brownlee Currey of the Nashville Banner. It was there that she met many interesting people such as Warren Beatty, Mohammed Ali, and danced with Lawrence Welk in the office of the Banner. She also spent several years as executive secretary to the CEO of Baptist Hospital in Nashville.
She married Frank Orr when she was 81 and always said those were some of her happiest years.
Diagnosed with dementia in 2020, she and Frank spent her last years at Belmont Village in Green Hills where she received loving care from their staff and other caregivers in the assisted living and memory care units.
Preceded in death by her father Houston “Moon” Mullican, mother Margaret Mullican, brother Don Mullican, and brother Harold Mullican.
She leaves behind son Bryan Ansley, son Clay (Christine) Ansley, grandchildren Andrew, Sarah, Emily, Rachel, Clay Jr, and Amy, 6 great-grandchildren, sister Carol Lessley, and sisters-in-law Gwen Mullican and Kim Mullican.
She was a deeply gracious woman of Christ who lived an incredible life, blessed and thankful for everything she was given. She showed great resilience and fortitude in the face of any hardship and was an incredible example to her children and grandchildren, loving the Lord with all her heart throughout her many wonderful years.
Memorial service will be held at Woodmont Baptist Church Sanctuary in Green Hills on Friday, May 3rd at 1 pm with visitation one hour prior at 12 pm. Private interment. https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/nashville-tn
In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to African Leadership; www.africanleadership.org
For more obituaries visit https://davidsoncountysource.com/obituaries/
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