Betty F. Handley, 90, of Fitzgerald, Georgia, died Friday, September 11, 2026, at her residence.
Funeral services will be held 11 AM, Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at Crossview Baptist Church in Fitzgerald, Georgia, with the Rev. Justin McCrimmon officiating. Interment will follow in Frank Cemetery, Irwin County, Georgia. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the services in the sanctuary on Tuesday.
Mrs. Handley was born October 23, 1935, in Irwin County, Georgia, to the late Alvin Clifford and Marietta Holsenbeck Clements. She worked as an operator for twenty years for General Telephone and Windstream. She was also a devoted pastor’s wife and with her husband served many churches including: Hacklebarney in Blackshear, Deenwood in Waycross, Stokesville in Axon, Brookfield in Tift County, Pleasant Hill in Rebecca, Tabernacle in Rochelle, Callie Garbutt in Fitzgerald, Terrell in Worth County, Macedonia in Telfair County, and First Baptist in Rochelle. She enjoyed singing and was frequently heard on Zeb Parsons’ broadcast on WSIZ singing with her daughter Debbie. Mrs. Handley was a member of Crossview Baptist Church where she sang in the choir, was active in the WMU, and taught the ladies Sunday school class. She dearly loved her Lord and Savior and served Him faithfully all of her life.
She is survived by her children and their spouses: Rick & Lee Handley, Kay Handley Cruz, Sharon Handley McCrimmon, and Mike & LeAnne Handley, all of Fitzgerald; 14 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; 5 great-great-grandchildren; and a sister, Alva & Gene Reeves of Miccosukee, Florida. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Rev. Delmar Handley; a daughter, Debbie Handley Pollard; a son-in-law, Andy McCrimmon; a grandson, Jimmy Carter; and two sisters: Joan Porterfield and Pat Fountain.
Paulk Funeral Home, Fitzgerald, is in charge of arrangements.