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Bette Moore Baum
<p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>Bette Jo was born in Roanoke, VA to Frank Lester Charlotte (nee Watts) Moore. During the Depression, Bette Jo’s family (including older sister Barbara, younger brothers Henry and Frank) lived with Pa (Henry Brainard) and Nettie Watts, Grandparents.</p><p><br></p><p>Her family moved to the Alexander Park section of Portsmouth, VA when the Federal Government needed Bette Jo’s father as a machinist for Navy ship building. Bette Jo’s mother Charlotte was asked to teach school.<br></p><p><br></p><p>After graduating from Alexander Park High school, Bette Jo took the train from Norfolk to Blacksburg to attend Radford College, which had a relationship with Virginia Polytechnical Institute. Wesley was in the back of the train car with a group of Tech boys. Bette Jo was the last girl in the car as the girls had departed at various stops along the way. Bette Jo was sitting alone, Wesley came forward in the train car and asked, “Is this seat taken?” Thus began their lifelong romance. Bette Jo and Wesley married when she was 19 years old, and Wesley was 20 years old upon his graduation from VPI.<br></p><p><br></p><p>Wes Junior was born in 1949. Eric, Jonathan, Bradley, Glenn, Stephanie, and Melinda blessed Wesley and Bette Jo great grandchildren: Eric’s children are Amanda, Cheyenne and Tristan; Jonathan’s children are Priscilla, Brenda, Nicole and Edgard; Bradley and Krista’s children are Devyn, Bradley, Jack, Charles (son) Elias Matthew Baum; Glenn’s sons are Elijah, Corden, Stephanie and Dustin Ayers’ children are Nate, Nick, Zack, Sam and Oliver; Melinda and Matthew Summit’s children are Aiden, Haeley, Cayla, and Madison.<br></p><p><br></p><p>Even though Bette Jo and Wesley loved their Orlando Bible Fellowship Church, they decided to move to Moyock, NC in 1997 so they could be near Wesley’s brothers’ families: John and Sandra Baum and Clark and Shirley Baum as well as Bette Jo’s brother’s family Frank and Janice Moore. God, family and country was the center of Bette Jo and Wesley’s lives.</p><p><br></p><p>Nieces, nephews, cousins and their children and their children filled their home on Currituck Sound with love and joy. Bette Jo’s niece Debbie (Moore) and David Byrum their daughter Cassandra (Byrum) and James Lewis and Cassie’s children Hailey, Ashley and Mason Caldwell. Great nephew Derek and Heather Byrum and sons JD, Ryan and Brody.<br></p><p><br></p><p>Nephew Buddy and Robin Moore and great niece Charlotte (Moore) and Mat Rutherford, great nephew Trey and Shelby Moore and their daughter Cora and great nephew Blake Moore.<br></p><p><br></p><p>Nephew Kenny and Sandra Moore and great niece Melissa (Moore) and Heath Hodges and their children Harper and Tucker as well as great niece Aubrey (Moore) and Brad Cagle and their children Wyatt and Chloe and great niece Tiffany (Moore) and Joshua King and daughter Kamryn.<br></p><p><br></p><p>Bette Jo’s niece is Karen Moore, who always gave Bette Jo the best back scratches. Bette Jo referred to Frank’s widow Janice (Ladd) Moore as “My best friend.” When Bette Jo’s family lived in Alexander Park, Janice knew Bette Jo’s family. Charlotte (Bette Jo’s mother) taught school and Janice (10 years younger than Bette Jo) was in Charlotte’s class. Frank Moore and Janice Ladd grew up and married, the Lord blessed them with four beautiful children, eight lovely grandchildren, 11 precious great grandchildren and one great-great granddaughter (most were able to celebrate last Thanksgiving with Bette Jo in her home on the Currituck Sound.</p><p><br></p><p>Wesley and Bette Jo hosted annual Baum Family Reunions, which included extended family and many friends in Blackwater and across the country.<br></p><p><br></p><p>John and Sandra Baum. John’s children include: Charlene Baum Pullias, Lance Baum, Toni Baum Stovall, Forest Baum (deceased), and Hugh Baum.</p><p><br></p><p>Marshall (Wesley’s brother) and Liza Baum’s children David Baum, Greg Baum, Lisa (Baum) Rudick and her sons Kyle and Timothy.</p><p>Clark (Wesley’s brother)and Shirley Baum’s children are Michael and Sharon Baum parents of Jack, Brian and Carly and Stephanie (Baum) and Phil Peacock parents of Brittany (Peacock) and Kyle Bennett, Lauren (Peacock) and Aubrey Hummer and Krissy Peacock.</p><p><br></p><p>Charlotte (Baum) and Lister Ives’ children are Bo, Rick and Ron. Ron and Joan Baum have two children, which attended many reunions as little children: Anthony Ives and Alison Ives Wenderoff.<br></p><p>Bette Jo’s sister Barbara “Bobbie” lived in Alexander Park, where she met and married Robert Harper. They had five children, Susan, Bob, Sheri, David and Mary Beth. Momma love her sister Bette Jo! We kids always used to say, “Nobody’s perfect … except our Aunt Bette!!</p><p></p><p><br></p><p>Susan and Dave McLeay’s children include Kevin (wife Faye), Marc (wife Erin), Michael (wife Laura) and Stephen (wife Jordan), and have served as parents to Neil (wife Melissa). They have nine grandchildren, Mason, Brennan, Finn, Garrison, Hudson, Vivian, Olivia, Sophie and Davis.<br></p><p></p><p><br></p><p>Bob and Jane Harper’s children include Jacob and Michelle, and Becki. They have four grandchildren, Lily, Kellan, Isaac and Amelia.</p><p></p><p><br></p><p>Sheri McGuinness (passed away in 2021) has four children, Joe (wife Calais), Bobby (passed away), Katie (husband Josh) and Susie (husband Jeff). Sheri has five grandchildren (Logan, Brodie, Carter, Ellie, Owen and Reagan) and the sixth due in March.</p><p></p><p>David and Mary Harper passed away leaving no children.</p><p></p><p>Our family is most grateful that our parents taught us of Jesus and the gift of grace and salvation. We will be together again!</p><p><br></p><p>The funeral service will be conducted at 11:00 am Saturday, March 18, 2023 at Black Water Baptist Church, 6000 Blackwater Road in Virginia Beach. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. Friends are invited to share memories and sign the online guestbook at www.omanfh.com. </p><p><br></p><p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="https://player.memoryshare.com/memoryshare/video/bettejo-baum-8091583" class="embed-responsive-item"></iframe></p>June 7, 1929 - March 3, 202306/07/192903/03/2023
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Bette Moore Baum
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