Betty Cook Fletcher

This precious soul has left this earth to receive her mansion, robe and crown. Betty Jo Cook Fletcher passed away on Sunday, April 6, 2025 at the age of 100, to join her father, Leman Atlee Cook, her mother Dicy Elva Golden Cook, and her Stepmother, Lockie Webster Cook in heaven.

Ms Betty, as she was lovingly called through the years, was a Licensed Practical Nurse who practiced in hospitals in Tennessee, Louisiana, and Mississippi over her 63 years of service. She retired twice, one official retirement and one unofficial, from Memorial Hospital in Gulfport MS. Her first retirement, the official one, was in 1990 at the age of 65. Unfortunately she was restless and bored and found the chance to return to the hospital she loved. She returned to the Emergency Room, and although she was not allowed to return to her nursing duties, she ran the control room answering the phones and radio calls for the ER. During Hurricane Katrina, she manned her post for 12 hours a day for approximately two weeks. At this time she was 80 years old. After Hurricane Katrina She was asked to change jobs and she became the Emergency Room's Supply Sergeant, keeping all four sides of the ER filled daily. Her second retirement, the unofficial one, was in 2015. She was 90 years old at the time. Because Ms Betty was not comfortable with retirement, some in her family would refer to her as “Our Energizer Bunny” because she kept going and going. Unfortunately, her batteries have run dry.

She was a member of the Gulfport Church of Christ and treated everyone with respect and dignity. If a homeless person passed her house, she would feed them. She helped people without asking for anything in return. At times she even invited people into her own home for a few days and assisted them to get on their feet. She taught her children to respect others no matter who they were or what their position in life was.

She was preceded in death by her parents Leman Atlee Cook, her mother Dicy Elva Golden Cook, and her stepmother Lockie Webster Cook. Preceding her in death are her brothers, Leman Golden Cook, Dale Cook, Clayton Leroy Cook, and Roger Kent Cook. Also preceding her in death is her husband John Vigil Fletcher Sr., her son John Vigil (J. V.) Fletcher Jr., her daughter Susan Jenell Fletcher Seales, a granddaughter Maggie Elizabeth Fletcher, and a great-grandson Jordan Fletcher.

She is survived by her brother, Larry Cook (Zella) of McMinnville, TN. She is also survived by her children, David Atlee Fletcher (Dianne) of Montgomery, AL, Carol Lynette Fletcher Calix (Julio) of Meraux, LA, Mary Lockie Fletcher Quattrini (Chris) of Goodyear Az, Timothy Joel Fletcher of Long Beach, MS, Simon Mark Fletcher (Vicky) of Biloxi, MS, and Samuel Paul Fletcher of Long Beach, MS. She is also survived by numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great great-grandchildren.

Our Mother has been our family's GPS over the years, guiding us through the mazes in our lives. Our anchor, stabilizing us so that we don’t drift off course. Our rock, giving us the strength to face life’s challenges. And most importantly, our shelter, when the storms of life threaten us most. There is a hole in our hearts now that will be impossible to fill. Each of her remaining children look forward to seeing her on the other side and joining her again to sing our favorite songs.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations should be made to the Memorial Hospital Charitable Foundation at http://weblink.donorperfect.com/MemorialHospitalFoundationGift. Please request that this donation be applied to assist the Oncology department since our mother and our sisters have all experienced breast cancer. Or if you wish, please denote to any department that you would like your donation to support.

Funeral services will be at 12:00 p.m. Wednesday, April 16th 2025, with visitation starting at 11:00 a.m., at Riemann Family Funeral Home, 274 Beauvoir Rd. Biloxi, MS. Interment will follow at Biloxi National Cemetery at 1:30 PM.

An online obituary may be viewed, and memories shared at www.RiemannFamily.com