Betty Massengill died peacefully in the light of Saturday afternoon, August 8, 2026. A lifelong resident of the close-knit community of Four Oaks, Betty spent her 92 years building a legacy rooted in family, faith, hard work, and service to others. Betty was born on October 25, 1933, to Paul and Beatrice Baker. She married the love of her life, Joe Lee Massengill, in 1955, and together they shared 56 years of marriage and raised two children, Paula Jo and Lee.

Betty and her sister, Jean, fulfilled their lifelong dreams of becoming educators early in life. Betty dedicated 30 years to Johnston County Schools, specifically at Four Oaks School, where she served as a beloved math teacher. Through her passion for education, Betty formed lifelong relationships with her students and their families within the community.  After retiring from the classroom, Betty continued in her role as the matriarch of her family, caring for generations that followed. She was a wholesome woman whose greatest joys were her family and her faith.

To those who loved her, she was most often known as “Ma Bet.” Ma Bet was a hardworking, strong woman who was happiest when her hands were busy and the people she loved were nearby. She loved being outdoors and could often be found working in the sunshine, wearing her sun hat and gloves, with a rake or hoe in hand. She tended her plants and garden with care, finding joy in watching the things she nurtured grow.  Much of what came from that garden found its way into her kitchen, where she was most famous for feeding the many people who gathered around her table. Everyone was welcome, and there was always room at Ma Bet’s table.

Her hands crafted beauty too. A visit with Betty often included a trip to her quilting room, where she proudly shared the many quilts that lined the walls—each one representing countless hours of patience, care, and dedication. The walls of her home were always filled with laughter and love, and her ability to bring together the people she cared for was truly one of her greatest gifts.

Betty’s life was marked by both deep love and profound loss. During her lifetime, she grieved the passing of her beloved husband, Joe; her son, Lee; her granddaughter, Merritt; and her sister, Jean. Despite these heartbreaking losses, Betty remained a source of strength and comfort to those around her. Through all of life’s challenges, she reminded those who knew her to remain steadfast in their faith and devoted to their family.

Betty was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Joseph Lee Massengill; her son, Lee Massengill; her parents, Paul and Beatrice Baker; her sister, Jean Massengill; and her granddaughter, Merritt Ennis.

She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Paula Jo and Jeff Snead; her granddaughters, Brittney Massengill and Jeanda Grieco and her husband, Zach; her great-grandson, Payton Ennis; and her great-granddaughter, Emma Grieco.

Those who loved Ma Bet will remember her in countless ways: in a garden being tended, in the careful stitches of her quilts, or at a table surrounded by those who matter most. In heaven, we imagine Betty just as she was on Earth—a powerful presence, reunited again with those she loved.

A celebration of Betty’s life will be held Friday, August 14, 2026, in Four Oaks, at the Rose and Graham Funeral Home. The family will receive friends from 11:00-11:45 AM, followed by the funeral service at Noon. Internment will follow at Hills of the Neuse Cemetery. At other times, the family will receive visitors at the home of Paula and Jeff Snead, Four Oaks, NC.

Arrangements by Rose & Graham Funeral Home in Four Oaks.