Betty Jean Whitesel Cross

Betty Jean Whitesel Cross departed this earthly realm on March 29, 2026. She was born November 19, 1927 to Cecil Charles and Bertha Stout Whitesel on Flat Run in Gilmer County.

The family moved to the Normantown area when she was seven. She entered the Normantown Elementary/High School and in 1946 she graduated, serving as her class valedictorian.

An amazing event took place in her junior year of 1945. Her tiny high school with 112 students had an outstanding basketball team that won the West Virginia State basketball tournament, defeating schools many times their size. It warranted an article in the Wall Street Journal. An amazing fact was that nine members of the team, the manager and the two cheerleaders (Betty was one of them) came from her junior class of 28 students. It made her a believer in miracles.

She attended West Virginia Wesleyan and Glenville State, and received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from West Virginia University.

She married William Garland Cross in 1949 and they made Morgantown their permanent home. They had three sons, David Michael, Steven Mark and Matthew Neil. They were a close and loving family.

She was a 64 year member of the First Baptist Church in Morgantown, serving many capacities from teaching teen and adult classes to Superintendent of Church School.

She was much involved in her sons' sport activities, attending hundreds of baseball, basketball, football and ice hockey games. The ice hockey games didn't begin until 11 pm and she spent many nights in the windowless ice rink freezing her feet until she finally ordered a pair of fur lined boots from Canada... feet saved!

She was a teacher of English and the librarian for 23 years at Cheat Lake School, which she much enjoyed. She had a great staff and wonderful students, especially those serving as her library aides.

Storytelling was a big part of her life. She used it with her children, the church, the students and the community. She was a charter member of the West Virginia Folklore Guild in 1996 and did storytelling for several years at the annual meetings at Jackson's Mill. In 2006 the Guild honored her with the Storyteller of the Year Award and she received the Robert F. McWhorter Award.

She was a member of the Service League of Morgantown where she held several positions, her favorite being historian. She belonged to several bridge clubs, calling them her brain exercises.

She leaves behind two sons, Matthew of Morgantown and Steven (Pamela) of Fairmont, and a special former daughter-in-law, Nancy Cross Walls of Florida.

Friends and family are invited to celebrate Betty's life at Hastings Funeral Home, 153 Spruce St., Morgantown on Tuesday, April 14th from 1:00pm - 3:00pm and 4:00pm-8:00pm.

Send condolences online at www.hastingsfuneralhome.com