Betty Riedel- Watson

Betty was born in Asheville, NC, on March 26, 1928. Not long after high school, she married a WWII veteran, William (Bill Riedel). Betty and Bill had six children over the span of 18 years, living in the areas of Asheville, Levittown and Langhorne, PA, and Mathews, VA. She lost her children’s father in 1985, well after establishing a local business called Betty and Bill’s greenhouse.

Betty started a new career working in guest relations at the Colonial Williamsburg Visitor Center, where eventually she met her second husband, Jack Watson.

Betty became a Williamsburg resident at the turn of the century. She spent much of her latter years traveling with Jack to places such as London and Italy. Betty and Jack  also volunteered as guides for Bruton Parish Church.

Betty most recently volunteered at FISH and served as a resident ambassador at Brookdale Chambrel senior living center.

Betty is described as a wonderful, loving woman who delighted in her family. Some described her as an angel, albeit one with a stubborn soul. Betty displayed the “silent generation” characteristics of loyalty, thriftiness, determination and resilience. She loved traveling, flowers, gardening, and bird-watching. She is survived by 34 family members spread across the country.

Betty will be publicly interred at 1pm , Saturday, March 25, at Bruton Parish Church in Williamsburg. She will also be privately memorialized at Green Hills Cemetery in Asheville this summer.