Obituary

Betty Sims Damewood, 84, of Charleston, WV, died at Hubbard Hospice House West on December 15, 2022.

Betty was born in Oak Hill, WV. She graduated from Charleston High School and from Southwestern at Memphis (now Rhodes College). Betty went on to earn a master’s degree from West Virginia University.

Betty married the love of her life, Thomas Carl Damewood, in 1961 at First Presbyterian Church of Charleston.

Betty was tirelessly curious and a life-long learner. She shared her passion for education with her students: Betty taught fifth grade and gifted classes for decades in Kanawha County Public Schools at both Holz Elementary and Piedmont Elementary. She delighted especially in teaching children whose parents she had also taught as fifth graders. Always seeking to inspire young people, she took her students on extraordinary trips to the Yucatán Peninsula and to Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama. She loved art and music, especially playing piano and harp. A genuine world citizen, Betty loved to travel and joyfully welcomed exchange students into her home.

After retiring, Betty and Tom bought a house at Ocean Isle Beach, NC, where they had vacationed since the 1970s. There, Betty — still as curious as ever — explored the beach and shared her love of the natural world and vast knowledge of seashells with all she encountered. She learned to sail and continued exploring by taking trips along the East Coast and to the Caribbean. Later, she and Tom moved to Middlebury, VT, for several special years to be closer to family, before returning to Charleston to live at Edgewood Summit. Throughout her life, Betty was active in her church and was particularly proud of her work as an archivist at First Presbyterian Church. Her three grandchildren were her pride and joy.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Tom, and by her parents, Harold Herchiel Sims and Elizabeth Daugherty Sims.

She is survived by family who loved her dearly. Her daughters, Elizabeth Gaucher (Jamie) of Hamilton, VA, and Carol Spann (Bryant) of Wayland MA; grandson Conrad Spann, and granddaughters Hope Spann and Clarin Gaucher; brother Herchiel Sims, Jr. (Sherry) of Kiawah Island, SC; niece Kirsten (Bob) Dean of Laurinburg, NC; nephew Bradford (Angela) Sims of Charleston, WV, and great niece Zoey Sims and great nephews Shepherd Sims and Jennings Dean.

A Celebration of Life for both Betty and Tom will be held in Charleston in the coming months.

Condolences may be shared with the family at www.barlowbonsall.com .

Barlow Bonsall Funeral Home in Charleston, WV, is in charge of arrangements.