10/26/2026
Betty Etchison West
Betty Frances Etchison West died on October 24, 2026 at her home in Pino, North Carolina, surrounded by her children. Betty was born on August 15, 1932, at Frostland in Cana, North Carolina, to Everett Frost and Lola Sofley Etchison.
Betty was the only child in Cana in her age group so she got a lot of attention, which she loved, from her parents; grandparents, John Wesley and Nana Cain Etchison; and great-uncle and great-aunts, John Boyce and Ina Naylor Cain and Susan Etchison Eaton. Betty went to school at the one-teacher Cana School, where her mother was her teacher; she then attended the new William R. Davie School for two years before attending Mocksville School for grades six through twelve. After graduating from Mocksville High School in 1950, second in her class, she entered Woman’s College (now the University of North Carolina at Greensboro) where she received an AB degree in 1954. Many years later, she earned a Master’s Degree in School Administration from Appalachian State University.
Betty taught in the following elementary schools for a total of 17 years: William R. Davie, Farmington, Pinebrook, and Mocksville. She then became principal at William R. Davie for 2 years before moving to Shady Grove Elementary in Advance where is worked for 7 years. She then accepted a job as Director of Personnel for the Davie County Schools. She held that position for 4 years before she retired in 1990.
While serving as a principal, Betty was a member of the North Carolina Association of School Administrators. She served as President of that organization, which had 2100 Superintendents, Directors, Supervisors, and Principals as members. She also served on the Board of Directors of the Public School Forum of North Carolina. When she retired from that group, she was made a Board Member Emeritus along with Dr. Jay Robinson, Dr. William Friday, and Congressman Richard Pryor.
In addition to her career in the field of education, Betty served as bookkeeper for Northwest Dairy Equipment, Inc., the company which was founded by her husband, Roland H. West in 1956, and which is now owned by her son, Henry West, for more than sixty years. During those years she was also active in many community activities and organizations.
Betty traveled to all fifty states in the U. S. and to a number of foreign countries, including, Spain, Greece, Brazil, Morocco, Canada, and Mexico. Part of that travel was connected to her study of the Presidents of the United States. She visited 79 sites connected to 43 presidents and wrote a book, simply entitled, Presidents of the United States. She wrote other books about growing up in Cana, Cana people, her families’ travels and her life as an educator.
Betty Etchison and Roland H. West were married at Eaton’s Baptist Church in 1953.
Their surviving children are: Frances West Tutterow, Roland Henry West, Jr., and Susan West Cujas and her husband, Al, all of Cana; grandchildren: Jason Tutterow (Page), Elizabeth Tutterow Burchette (Joe), Amy Cujas Applegate (Ryan), Missy Cujas Michalski (David) and Oliver Cujas; and two step-grandchildren: Alexander Spillman and Autumn Spillman Alvarez. Betty was so proud of her great-grandchildren: Reese and Harper Tutterow, Joseph and Birdie Frances Burchette, Oakley Michalski, Skyler Applegate, and Gideon and Lilliana Alvarez.
Betty is survived by her sister, Marty Etchison Babcock (Bill), of Cary and sister-in-law, Rachel Etchison, of Siler City.
She was preceded in death by her husband of nearly 70-years Roland Henry West; her parents, Everett and Lola Etchison; brother, John Etchison; and son-in-law, Larry Tutterow.
The funeral service for Betty will be held at Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church, where Betty was a member for more than 70 years and had served in many capacities including Sunday School Superintendent and Teacher. It will be held at 2 p.m., Wednesday, October 28, followed by graveside service at the Eaton’s Baptist Church Cemetery where members of her family have been buried for more than 150 years. The family invites friends to visit with them from 6 to 8 p.m., Tuesday, October 27, at Lambert Funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Wesley Chapel UMC, c/o Kathy Ellis, 2108 Cana Road, Mocksville, N. C. 27028, or Mountain Valley Hospice, 243 N. Lee Street, Yadkinville, NC 27055, or Eaton’s Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, 430 Eaton’s Church Road, Mocksville, N. C. 27028.
www.lambertfuneralhomenc.com
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