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If there has ever been a golden couple, it was Brenda and J.B. Bettis. They were truly a match made in heaven, a couple who spent 61 years together enjoying every minute of their life. And their love story continued throughout their life as they walked through the gates of Heaven, hand in hand.
It seems everyone you talk to has a favorite story about J.B., and my husband reminded me of the story he tells quite frequently when he is talking about spending money. Cliff Huls and J.B. Bettis owned the Huls & Bettis Furniture store, which was located on east Main Street in the large building next to the driver license office.
Ricky was working on Pisgah Road clearing off the lot we were building our house on. The house site was flagged off, and he was about to start digging the footers. So, I decided that I would go look around in the furniture store.
I was admiring this beautiful long couch that was navy blue with an oriental flower pattern, when Brenda came up and told me they had just put that out on the floor. It was designed with high arm rests, a solid long cushion bottom and lots of pillows.
We both sat down on it and it was pure comfort. Then J.B. walked up and convinced me that I needed that couch and that I needed the bamboo coffee table and the two end tables, plus the two matching navy-blue lamps.
So, I took off from the furniture store and made a bee-line to Pisgah Road. Ricky was burning brush, and I told him I
had found a couch that I wanted for the great room, and that J.B. was going to give me a great price for the whole set. He was speechless for a minute, and then he said, real slow, “I don’t even have the footers dug yet, and you are wanting to buy furniture.”
After trying to convince him that I needed to buy the set now, he finally gave me the money only because he wanted to get back to work. I drove back to the store and paid J.B., and he agreed to keep it stored until the house was finished.
A few days later, Ricky went by the furniture store and had a good laugh with J.B. and told him if his wife comes in that store not to sell her anything else, and said Brenda thought that was so funny. I would have loved to have seen the smile on J.B.’s face, knowing that I had already got a small wicker and glass dining set for the kitchen area, and it was back there waiting with the couch.
But what goes around comes around, and about a year and a half later, Ricky was driving through town and J.B. was unloading a trailer full of Suzuki four-wheelers. And of course, Ricky stopped and J.B. told him that our 5-year old daughter needed the little “50” model that it was just her size. So, Ricky loaded it on the truck. And after she knocked the post out from under the deck, rolled it over after jumping a make-shift ramp, and centered a few trees, I admitted he got me back.
J.B. was a great salesperson, and he was very successful in any business he was involved in. He was a pillar in the town of Andrews, and Brenda was always by his side. Andrews has lost two people who will certainly be missed.
An excerpt of this poem defines the friendship of J.B. and Brenda.
“Did you know that we longed for that smile on your face, for the sound of your voice ringing true? Did you know we grew stronger and better because, we have merely touched shoulders with you?
“We may not have wealth, we may not be great, but we know we shall always be true. For we have in our lives that courage you gave, when once we touched shoulders with you.”
Kandy Barnard is a columnist for the Cherokee Scout. To talk about the Andrews Valley, call her at 828-361-3268 or email kandybarnard@gmail.com.