Beatrice Holton Riddle

In the early morning hours on Monday, November 11, 2019, Mrs. Beatrice Holton “Aunt Bea” Riddle, age 94 of Soperton, passed away peacefully at the Treutlen County Health and Rehabilitation Center.

Born in Treutlen County on December 22, 1924, she was the last living of ten children born to the late Rufus Holton Sr. and Mary Elizabeth Brinson Holton.  Aunt Bea grew up in Treutlen County and was a graduate of Soperton High School, Class of 1942.  After high school she moved to Washington, DC joining a cousin, Mary Jo and a sister, Marjorie.  Aunt Bea worked in Washington for twenty five years with the Federal Aviation Administration and the Civil Aeronautics Administration from where she retired in 1971.  While living and working in Washington she met and married New York native, John Albert Riddle.  After retiring she and John returned to Treutlen County to purchase and renovate the old home place.  After coming home she worked for an additional ten years at the Emmanuel County Hospital in Swainsboro as an Administrative Medical Secretary.

Aunt Bea was proud of her family’s Treutlen County heritage and the fact that her forefathers were founding members of the Holton Chapel Advent Christian Church.  In addition to her longtime affiliation with Holton Chapel Church she was a charter member of the Treutlen County Historical Society. She was an accomplished ball room dancer, a stickler for organization and was committed to her family and her dogs.

In addition to her parents she is preceded in death by her husband, John who passed away in 2008,  infant sisters, Dorothy and Mildred and her other siblings, Bertha Lee Holton, Arthur Jackson Holton, Newbern Holton, Nubie Holton Phillips, Susie Mae Holton, Marjorie Holton Dooley and Rufus Holton Jr.

She leaves behind: nieces and nephews, Tommy Holton (Jackie), Sandersville, GA, Teddy Holton (Gail), Soperton, GA, Brenda Phillips Brown (Mike), Soperton, GA, Barbara Phillips Braddy (Gary), Mt. Vernon, GA, Pamela Holton Adamson (Butch), Jacksonville, FL, Floyd Phillips Jr., Swainsboro, GA, Betty Sue Holton Mason (James),  Warner Robins, GA and several great nieces and nephews.

Funeral services were held from the graveside in Holton Chapel Cemetery at 2:00 pm on Thursday, November 14, 2019 with her great nephew, Reverend Stephen C. Holton officiating.

Her family received friends on Wednesday from 6:00 – 8:00 pm at Sammons Funeral Home.

Please share a memory, leave a condolence message and sign the online guest register at www.sammonsfuneralhome.com

This is a courtesy announcement of May and Smith Funeral Directors