Obituary - Betty Parker Featherston

Betty Parker Featherston was born on October 27, 1939, in Richmond, Virginia and passed away on February 18, 2025. She was the oldest child of Virginia Richardson and Joseph Edward Parker. She lived the first ten years of her life in Sandston and in the Barton Heights area of Richmond before moving, with the family, to New Kent County. She attended school in New Kent, graduating from New Kent High School in 1957. She then spent four years at the College of William and Mary, graduating with the class of 1961. She loved those four years and made many friendships that lasted her lifetime. After college, she taught school in Chesterfield and Henrico counties, before beginning what would become a thirty-four year career as Director of Christian Education at St. Giles Presbyterian Church. After retiring, Betty continued to be active in the life of St. Giles Church and in the Pi Beta Phi Alumnae Club and in Community Bible Study. In her later years, she lived at Cedarfield Retirement Community and thoroughly enjoyed the many activities, the excellent care, and the wonderful people!

Betty was predeceased by her parents and her husband of forty-eight years, Charles Aubrey Featherston, Jr. She is survived by their two children; their daughter, Helen Spencer Featherston Kirkmyer (husband John Conroy Kirkmyer) and son, Charles Aubrey Featherston III (wife Catherine Neurohr Featherston) and four grandchildren, George Clifford Kirkmyer, Charles Parker Kirkmyer, Virginia Grace Featherston, and Catherine Elliott Featherston. She is also survived by her brother, Joseph Edward Parker, Jr. (wife Sharon Welton Parker) and her ten nieces and nephews. Betty was blessed to be part of a large, close-knit extended family and is survived by many Richardson and Parker cousins, of which she was the true matriarch.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, February 28 at 1:00 at St. Giles Presbyterian Church, 5200 Grove Ave, Richmond, VA 23226, officiated by the Reverend Dr. Richard Haney and the Reverend Stephen A. Coleman with a reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Breakthrough T1D (formerly Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) or to the Collegiate School in support of the Athletic Fund.